Can't Lose Hope
by LeytonLoVe123
Summary: Changed the name but this is still the sequel to Can't Stop Destiny. Peyton's life is going great right now, right? She has a great job, a perfect house, two amazing children and her friends. So, why does she still miss him? Leyton eventually & some Naley
1. Chapter 1

Peyton quietly slipped into her house, listening for any noise that would give her an idea of where her sons were. She heard noises coming form the living room, so that was the direction she headed. She stopped in the doorway, watching. Aiden and Jason were on the floor, playing with airplanes. Karen was sitting on the ground next to them, an airplane also in her hand, but she was mainly watching the boys. "Hey, my big boy kindergarteners. How was you day?" Peyton askedthe boys, bringing their attention to her as she forced the cheeriness into her voice.

Her forced smile became real as their eyes lit up. They started running toward her and she knelt down to be at their level and scooped them both into a hug. "Oh, it's so good to be home, here with you guys after a long day at work," she murmured. They were both busily rambling about their first day of school when Peyton let them go. Peyton chuckled as she stood up straight. "Go get your shoes on so we can go to dinner with Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan, you knuckleheads," she said, ruffling their hair as they ran past her to find their shoes.

Peyton looked at Karen. The older woman was watching the boys. Karen had fallen in love with those boys the first moment she saw them. Peyton still remembered the first time she took them to the Cafe, right after she moved into this house. It was months ago, now, right after she had started her label and signed her first band. Things had been so exciting, and new then. She had just moved back to her hometown and was making something of herself. She had the boys, it had been a great time.

Peyton took her mind out of the past and realized she needed to talk to Karen. "Hey, you want to come out to dinner with us?" she asked. Karen started to protest, something about not wanting to intrude. "No, come on, it'l be fun. Haley wants to meet you, the boys love you. You have been a savior to me these past couple months. Come on, please, come to dinner with us," she said firmly, leaving Karen no room for arguements.

Karen thought about it. "On one condition," she said. Peyton started to speak, but Karen held her hand up, talking over her. "You guys come to the Cafe. I'll whip up some dinner, free of charge, of course, and it already has that play area I had put in for the boys. Come on, I insist," she said, making sure Peyton couldn't protest.

With a sigh, Peyton nodded. "Yeah, sure, let me call Haley," she said, walking back toward the from door, pulling out her cell phone so she could call her best friend. "So, change of plans. We're going to go to Karen's Cafe for dinner. She insists on making us dinner, and I want you to meet her. You haven't been to Tree Hill in months, and she really is a big help with the kids," Peyton said when Haley picked up.

Haley listened to her best friend, waiting for her to finish. "Hello to you, too," she chuckled. Peyton offered a greeting and Haley went on. "Peyt, it's cool, really, you've talked so much about Karen, I want to meet her anyway. You've just got to tell me where the Cafe is. We just left the hotel. We arrived in Tree Hill about an hour ago and got settled in at the hotel," she said, looking over to Nathan, squeezing his hand. Nathan squeezed back, his eyes on the road.

Peyton was relieved that Haley wanted to meet Karen. She told Haley where the Cafe was. "Are you sure? I mean, I know we were supposed to spend time together. I haven't seen you in months, since Nathan started playing for the Lakers," she added hesitantly. She wanted to send time with her best friend, but, she reasoned, Haley was going to be in town for a week. She might even be back in a couple weeks, if Nathan got drafted to Charlotte, which was supposed to be happening. They would find out at the draft, in a couple of weeks.

With Peyton's instructions she realized they were headed in the wrong direction. "Hang on a sec, Peyt," she said, pulling the phone awya from her ear. "When you get to this next light you need to make a U turn," she informed Nathan before replacing the phone at her ear. "Now, what?" she tried to remember what she had wanted to say to Peyton. "Oh, yeah, of course I'm sure. We have a week, we'll spend some time together. I, personally, can't wait to see this office of yours, for your label. And Tric. I can't believe my best friend started a record label and opened a club in Tree Hill, in, like, four months," she said, beaming with pride for her best friend.

Peyton blushed, looking down at her feet. "I'm only partial owner of the club. Besides, what abut you? You got the degree you've always wanted and now you get to be a teacher. Now all you have to do is fingure out where you're going to teach. Wouldn't it be weird if you came back here and taught at the same high school we used to go to?" Peyton asked, trying to take the focus off of herself. She knew the questions that would come later, but she could put them off for at least a little while.

Haley sighed, giving another direction to Nathan. "So, I'm about ten minutes away from the Cafe. Get off the phone and get your butt over here," she told Peyton. "Oh, and by the way, yesh, that would be weird, but it would be great living in Tree Hill again. All the money in the world can't buy the feeling of home," she paused. "I do have an awesome guy to come home to every day, though, and you can't replace that either," she added after Nathan shot a glance at her. She leaned over and kissed his cheek and he squeezed her hand in response.

Peyton groaned as she heard the kiss over the phone. "I'll be there soon, stop being so mushy," she teased her best friend. They both said goodbye and Peyton got to the front door, where Aiden and Jason were waiting for her with Karen. "I'm glad you guys didn't go outside without me. Good boys," she said, making sure she had her purse before she opened the front door.

The boys took off for the SUV. Karen walked to her own car so she could get to the Cafe first, and Peyton walked to the SUV she had bought with the money from the second band she signed. She still had her Comet, but it was parked in the garage, and barely used. The garage was two car, but had a lot of storage boxes in it, so the SUV stayed parked in the driveway most of the time. She made sure Aiden and Jason were in their seats and buckled up before getting in behind the wheel.

Aiden and Jason were talking about their first day of school in the backseat, and Peyton smiled and nodded at them, glancing at them in the rearview mirror, but everything they said went in one ear and out the other. She couldn't believe He wasn't here. She cut her thoughts off. It still hurt to think about. She tried to keep her thoughts on Haley, but it was hard. He always seemed to creep back in.

When they reached the Cafe, Nathan and Haley were just getting out of their car. It was a sleek, sports car, due to Nathan's NBA paycheck. As soon as Peyton got out of her SUV she was being crushed in a hug from Haley. "Haley, I do need to breath, you know," Peytom said, but she was hugging Haley back just as tightly.

When they both let go, Haley looked Peyton over. "Gosh, Peyt, do you even eat anymore," she said, refering to Peyton's petite figure. "Look at your hair. What happened to your curls?" she asked in amazement, fingering Peyton's now-straight locks. It had been a change Peyton made months ago, around the time she started Tric with Karen.

Peyton shrugged. "I don't know, I just wanted something different, I guess," she managed to get out before Haley was attacked by the five year olds, who had been released from their car seats by their uncle. Peyton turned to Nathan and gave him a hug. "So, how's life as a NBA star?" she asked him, hoping Haley would drop the issue of her hair.

Nathan had his gaze on Haley. "Not bad, Sawyer, not bad at all," he answered. Peyton turned too, watching Haley talk to her boys. Haley was great with them. They really loved their aunt Haley. Haley would definately make a great mother, whenever she got pregnant. They had actually been trying, not really trying that hard, but they had stopped using protection in the hopes that she would get pregnant. She still hadn't yet, and it had been months. They weren't really worried, yet, they just firgured it wasn't time.

Haley, wh had been kneeling, listening to the boys, straightened. "So, shall we go eat, or what? We have a lot to talk about, Peyton," she said as she walked over, took Nathans hand, and started to lead him into the Cafe. Jason and Aiden ran ahead, and Peyton walked behind, knowing that no good was going to come of the conversation about to take place.

Nathan and Haley sat on one side of the booth and Peyton and the boys sat on the other. Karen was in the kitchen, but came out when she heard them come in. The Cafe was already closed for the night, so they had the place to theirselves. Karen handed out menus, letting them know that they could just hollor for her when they were ready to order.

Karen was about to slip away, but Peyton grabbed her arm. "Where are you going? Okay, I guess I haven't formally introduced you guys yet. Haley, Nathan, this is my friend and business partner, Karen. Karen, this is my best friend, Haley, and her husband, Nathan," they all shook hands. "Now take a seat," she said to Karen, standing up to pull a chair from a nearby table over.

A couple hours later the boys were in their play area, and the four adults were sitting and chatting. Peyton knew what was coming, but she hoped Haley would not bring the subject up. There was a lull in the conversation and Haley was staring at her best friend. Peyton knew what was coming next. Haley decided to give Peyton a little break. "So, why isn't Brooke here? She knew we were coming in tonight, right?" she asked.

Peyton sighed in relief that Haley chose to aoid the subject for now. She realized what Haley asked and looked down at her hands, chuckling softly. "She's is so going to kill me, but I kind of told her you didn't arrive until tomorrow," she said, looking back up at Haley, who just stared. "You know Brooke, she's going to be dictating the rest of the week. I just wanted you to myself tonight. By the way, Nate, I'm stealing your wife tonight. You can have her back in the morning, but since you won't stay at my house, I'm stealing her for tonight," Peyton stated, leaving no room for disagreement.

Haley looked at Nathan and shrugged. "I guess I'll see you in the morning then," she said, leaning into him to give him a kiss on the cheek. Nathan turned his head so he caught her lips with his. Karen and Peyton both ignored the couple as they began making out. Peyton was distracted by her son, who crawled up in her lap, saw his aunt and uncle and exclaimed, "Gross!"

Peyton laughed and looked down at the boy in her lap as Haley and Nathan pulled away from each other. "What's wrong, Aiden?" she asked, wraping her arms tightly around the boy, who rested his head on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her neck and mumbled something about being tired. Peyton chuckled. "I guess that's my cue to leave. Come on Hales, grab Jason for me. Karen, I'll be able to pick the boys up tomorrow because I'm taking the day off, so I'll see you the day after that probably. I'll call and let you know. Nathan, I'll see you tomorrow," she said, walking toward the door.

Haley picked Jason up and followed Peyton. Nathan followed his wife and Karen locked up behind them.Peyton and Haley put the boys, who had already passed out, in their seats and then Haley gave Nathan a goodbye kiss before climbing into the SUV next to Peyton. They drove to Peyton's house while chatting about inconsequental things. Haley was in shock when she saw the house. "When you said your house was nice, I didn't think you meant this big. How did you afford this place?" she asked.

Peyton looked at the two story, five bedroom, three and a half bath house, trying to see it from Haley's point of view as they pulled the boys out of the car and started walking toward it. "Well, to be honest, Brooke bought it outright from the owners for me, but I've since paid her off for it," she paused. "I mean, when I first got it, it looked huge, but I'm used to it now. It's nice and it's in a good neighborhood. I can take the boys to the Rivercourt whenever they want to go. It's really perfect for me," she paused again, "and the pool in back is amazing," she added in a gleeful tone.

Haley knew that Peyton had always wanted to have a house with a built-in pool in the basckyard. It was one of those luxeries that, as a child, she had never had, but always desired. She still had a nice childhood, but she wouldn't have complained about having a pool. Haley chuckled. "I guess you're going to have to give me the grand tour after we put these boy to bed then. I can't believe they're so big, it's been too long since I've seen them," Haley said, adjusting Jason on her hip.

Peyton opened the door to the house and they walked up the sriats, to the boys room. Even though the house had enough bedrooms, the boys insisted on sharing a room still. In light of all that had happened, Peyton allowed it. She knew eventually they would each want their own room, but she wasn't going to rush it. They both stirred as Peyton and Haley laid them down. "I've got it, Hales, go on down stairs. I'll tuck these guys in and meet you down there," she said.

Haley left the room and Peyton helped Jason and Aiden pick out some pajamas so they could change. "You guys want a story tonight, or do you gjust want to hit the hay?" Peyton asked, plugging in their night lights and flicking them on. She walked over to the bookshelf as they jumped into bed, thinking that they would ask her to read to them.

The boys shared a look, and it was Jason who spoke. "No story tonight, Mama. We just have a question for you," he said in the innocent way of a five-year-old. Peyton moved forward so she was standing in between the two beds. She waited for one of them to ask the question. "Why doesn't Daddy love us anymore?" he asked.

Peyton's heart broke at the words and at the pain she saw in the eyes of both of her sons. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she composed herself, readying herself for the answer. She sat on Aidens bed, because it was closed, and called Jason over. Jason crawled out of his bed and walked over, climbing up next to his mother, Aiden on her other side. Peyton hugged both of them close. "Listen to me, both of you. Your father loves you, very much. He's crazy about you. He just," she paused. "Your father and I just don't love each other anymore, so he moved out. I told you that. He will always love you, right now he's just on tour, for his book, signing autographs. Remember, I told about his book," she paused, placing a kiss on Aiden's auburn mop of curls , and then on Jason's straight blonde locks. "Why did you ask that?"

This time it was Aiden who spoke up. "It's just, he promised he would be here to pick us up after our first day of school. He broke that promise. It was a lie. You guys always said that you don't lie to the people you love," he said and Jason repeated something similar. Peyton wished now more than ever that things had turned out differently. Not just for her, for her kids as well. They didn't deserve to think their father hates them.

Peyton sighed, giving them each a squeeze. "Your father and I will always love you, I promise you that. Even if we don't love each other anymore, we will always love you. I'm sure he was working, or he would have been here. I'm sure he'll be here as soon as he can," she said. The honest truth was, she hadn't talked to Lucas since he walked out however many months ago. She was going to have to break the vow she had made to herself and call him, though. For tonight, though, all she had to do was go downstairs and spend some time with her best friend. She tucked both the boys into their own beds and kissed them goodnight once more before doing just that.

A/N: Okay, here is the first chapter of the sequel to Can't stop Destiny. This has been bounsing around in my head for a long time, but I've been putting it off because of Stay My Baby. I think I will alternate on updating both of these fics, though, so I won't fall too far behind on either one of them. So next I'll be working on another chapter of the other one before I come back and do this, but leave lots of reviews and tell me what you think, because that does help. I love everyone who reviews my fics and thanks a bunch to all of you!!

Disclaimer: Still don't own One Tree Hill. Excited for the new episode tomorrow, but I don't, in any way, own any of it. 


	2. Chapter 2

Peyton fell down on the couch next to Haley, blowing out a sigh. Haley looked over at her best friend. "What happened? I leave you alone waith your sons for two minutes and you come back all depressed. How did that happen?" she asked, genuinely concerned for Peyton. Some part of her had a feeling that she knew exactly what this was about.

Peyton sighed, reaching up to brush a stray lock out of her face. She really didn't want to talk about him. She knew Haley would never let it go if she didn't though. Not that she wasn't greatful to Haley for caring. She just hadn't talked to Haley about it since it had happened because she hadn't seen Haley since she left L.A. three months ago. She had got on a plane to L.A. right after he had left and had stayed with Haley for a week before daring to face the real world again. She had started her record label and opened up Tric with Karen the week she got back, though, so that was always a plus.

Peyton had thrown herself into her work because, with him gone, nothing else, except her sons, of course, mattered. She had Jason and Aiden and her work, which she had excelled at because of all the time she put into it. Sure, Brooke and Karen were always telling her she put too much time into her job, but she loved what she did. She made sure she always spent time with her kids, it was everything else that was put on the back burner. She did still draw, sometimes, but thatwas usually only when she couldn't sleep.

Peyton sighed as she realized Haley was atill waiting for an answer. She didn't know what to sawy, so she sighed again and started biting on her lower lip. It was a habit Lucas had always called her on and as she realized she was doing it she started thinking of Lucas and out of nowhere the tears started flowing. Tears that she had been holding in for three months, ever since the day she woke up alone. "Oh, Hales, I haven't talked to him since he left, but now I've got to. Jason just asked me if his daddy still loved him. I could see the pain in the eyes of both my sons as he asked. How could he do that to his own children, Haley? How can he do that to the one who's not even born?" she asked, rubbing her stomach.

Haley bit her lip, but pulled Peyton into her embrace. She had known that Peyton hadn't been letting out her feelings about Lucas. She had just been so numb since he left, at least, that was what Brooke had told her. Peyton hadn't talked to Haley about him since the last time they had been together. Haley rubbed Peyton's back, whispering soothing things in her ear. After a few minutes, though, she had to say what was really on her mind. "Peyton, to be fair to him, you haven't even told him about the new one yet," she said softly.

Peyton pulled back, looking at her best friend through tear-filled eyes. She felt betrayed by that comment, even though she knew it to be true. "How dare you? He doesn't know because he hasn't talked to me. He just left, Haley, without saying one word to me to let me know he was leaving. He didn't leave a note, or even say goodbye to his kids. He just disappeared. Then, a week later, he's in the paper, 'Local Boy Gets Book Published.' The day that paper came out, I knew it was over, but did he ever tell me? No, he didn't. Did he ever say goodbye to his kids, the ones he claimed to love? No. So don't talk to me about fair," she yelled. Peyton jumped to her feet and ran out of the room, wiping furiously at her tears.

Peyton ended up outside, sitting next to the pool, with her feet in the water as the tears slipped down her cheeks in waves. She couldn't stop thinking about Lucas. If only she had said yes, he would still be with her. She hadn't said no, though, like everyone seemed to think, like he seemed to think. She had said someday. She didn't get why that was so bad. She wasn't ready for marriage yet. Her dreams hadn't come true yet. At least, that was what she had thought. Now she had the record label and theclub, she realized there was only one dream which she wanted to come true. She wished, more than anything, that she could have him back.

He had once told her that she was the one he wanted next to him when his dreams came true. She had feltthat way too. Now her dreams had come true, and where was he? Off, chasing his own dreams, supposedly. She didn't really know if he was still on the book tour. Sure, he kept every newspaper clipping that mentioned him, and she had bought a copy of his book every time she saw it in a store, but she had never read any of it. She was thinking about him, she just didn't want to know how happy he was without her. His dreams were coming true, without her and who knows, maybe that was the way he wanted it.

Peyton sniffled, trying to wipe at the tears, but they just kept coming. She had kept so many emotions in since had left that she couldn't keep it bottled up anymore. She finally just let the tears keep flowing, not bothering to stop them. Eventually she felt Haley come up next to her and sit down. Haley slipped her arm around her best friend's shoudlers and Peyton didn't push her away. She knew she had overreacted, because it was her fault Haley didn't know the details of what had happened.

Haley rubbed Peyton's back, while Peyton leaned her head onto Haley's shoulder, still crying uncontrolably. Haley felt bad for what she had said. She just felt so frustrated because she hadn't heard anything except from secondhand stories and she just wanted to hear what had happened from Peyton's point of view. She wished she hadn't worded her question like that though. "Peyt, I'm sorry. I know this isn't fair to you. I know it must be hard. I didn't know it had happened like that. I'm sorry," she said after Peyton's tears subsided a little.

Peyton leaned back, the tears still flowing silently, but not as hard. She shook her head. "No, Hales, I'm sorry. I overreacted. I should have explained it better to you. It's just, I still miss him so much and I know I'm going to have to talk to him now. I don't know if I can. I don't know if i'm strong enough not to break down and beg for him to takeme back. I have to be though, for my kids, for the one yet to come. They deserve to have him in their life. It's not their fault he thinks I turned him down," she said, offering a small fake smile to Haley.

Haley nodded and knew Peyton wanted the subject changed, now. Peyton stood up, wiping at her tears and Haley stood too, an idea forming in her head. "Did you have a hard day at work?" she asked. Peyton looked over at her best friend, nodding slowly, trying to figure out what had brought on the question. "You look like you could use a dip in the pool," she added and before Peyton realized what was going on, Haley had shoved her in the pool.

Peyton resurfaced, gasping for air, and because of the coldness of the water. She looked up at Haley as an idea formed in her own mind. Haley was laughing at the sight. The look on Peyton's face as she realized that she was falling in the pool had been priceless. Peyaton held her hand out to Haley. "I feel much better now. Can you help me out?" she asked. Haley shook her head, she knew what Peyton planned on doing. "Come on, Hales, I'm not going to pull you in, I promise. Just help me out," she added, trying to sound sincere. She had her fingers crossed behind her back.

Haley eyed her best friend before cautiously reaching out toward Peyton. Peyton grasped Haleys fingers and pulled. Haley, who had been leaning over the edge, fell face first into the pool beside Peyton. She resurfaced, gasping for air, and saw that Peyton was now the one who couldn't stop laughing. Aa Peyton laughed she held up her hand, which had been behind her back, with her first two fingers crossed. Haley wiped the water out of her eyes and pushed her hair back. "You think that's funny, do you? Well, what about this?" she splashed Peyton in the face. "Do you think that's funny?" she asked.

Peyton stopped laughing and stuck her tongue out at her friend before splashing Haley back. She felt childish and silly, and it was the first time she had got to feel that way since he had walked out of her life. She had been all about business, even when she was spending time with her kids. She hadn't let go since he had gone because she was afraid of letting her emotions out, even the good ones. She had put her walls back up and built them higher than ever before. Now, though, she was just having fun with her best friend, and it was great. She didn't need to be strong, or worry about her image. She was just having fun.

They eventually gave up on splashing each other and just swam around the pool for a bit. "You remember the last time we went swimming in the middle of the night?" Peyton asked. They were both floating on their backs, watching the stars. Peyton's mind began to drift back to the happier times, the simple times. Before she was a mother, and her best friend was married. Back when they had been in high school and all they had to worry about was getting their homework done on time. Well, that was what Haley had worried about.

Haley laughed as the memory came back to her. It had been during their senior year. Haley had been stressing over college applications and Peyton had been happily in love with Jake.

FLASHBACK

Haley was staying the night at Peytons to get away from her hectic home life. Haley was sitting at Peyton's desk, studiously filling out a college application while Peyton sat on her bed, sketching. It was about midnight when Peyton tossed her sketchbook aside. She looked over at Haley as inspiration struck. She stood up and suddenly blurted out, "Let's go swimming," as she crossed the room.

Haley barely looked up from the paper in front of her. "There's two problems with that. It's the middle of the night, and neither of us have a swimming pool. So nice try, but I don't think so," Haley mumbled before leaning down, writing out an answer in her best handwriting. She didn't give the idea a second thought as she turned her full attention to the next question.

Peyton did not give up on her idea so easily. She stood at her window, trying to work out a way to go through with her plan. A few minutes later she turned back to Haley, a devilish grin on her face. She rummaged through her dresser, finding two bikinis, tossing one to Haley before she started changing into it. The bikini top hit Haley in the head and the bottoms fell right onto her paper. She picked up both pieces and turned to Peyton. "Come on, Peyt, you can't really be serious," she said, sort of pleading with Peyton. "I've got to send out all my applications by Monday," she added.

Peyton pulled her shirt on over the bikini top and looked expectantly at Haley. "Yeah, all I heard of that is, blah blah blah, I'm over worked and yes, Peyton, I'll come with you," she said with a smirk. Haley sighed, Peyton walked over to her best friend, grabbing her hand and pulling her to her feet. "Get up, get your scrawny ass into tat bikini and come on. We're going to be spontaneous tonight, Haley James, even if you have some problems with that word," she added in a comanding tone.

Haley sighed and looked at Peyton's determined face. Finally she gave in, because she knew Peyton wouldn't give up. She put the bikini on and pulled her pants and shirt on over it. She looked over at Peyton, who was listening for sounds of her dad. She shut the light off in her room, motioned to Haley to be quiet and then opened the window before starting to climb out of it. When she made it to the tree next to the window she looked back to Haley, gesturing for her to climb out onto the branch, too.

Haley looked out at Peyton, in the tree, and looked down to the ground, two stories below. She looked back into her best friends eyes, shaking her head. "Peyton, are you crazy? The branch could break, we could fall to our deaths. Is a midnight swim really worth it?" she shook her head, muttering nervously. "No way, I am not doing it," she said, more to herself than to Peyton.

Peyton held out her hand to Haley. "Come on, Haley,take a chance. The branch is sturdy, I promise you. Just trust me and live a little," she tried to convince her best friend. Haley just kept shaking her head. In thought, she knew she should be more spontaneous, but in reality it was another story all together. She would not climb out of the window. "Come on, Hales, we're gonna go off to college soon. We might even go to different colleges. When was the last time you took a risk?" she asked, watching as Haleys resolve slowly weakened.

With a sigh the last of Haley's resolve slipped away and she Swung her leg out of the window, grabbing Peyton's hand and holding tight as Peyton pulled her onto the tree branch. Peyton helped Haley climb down the tree and onto the ground. Then she got into her Comet, motioning for Haley to get in the passengers seat. "Where are we going?" she asked after Peyton had started driving.

Peyton just kept driving. "You'll see when we get there," she said with a smile. A few minutes later she was pulling to a stop in front of the local public pool, which happened to have a 8 foot high cyclone fence surronding it to keep others out. Haley looked over at Peyton, her eyes wide. She started shaking her head, but Peyton got out of the car before she could.

Haley hesitated before getting out of the car. Before she could even begin to protest, Peyton spoke up. "Stop being so afraid of living Hales. This is just a littlemidnight swim. We're not even likely to get caught, and if we do, so what? You can't be perfect, no matter how much you try, so why not have some fun? I swear, sometimes you're 17 going on 80. I just want you to live life, for one minute. Worry about having fun and not about the consequences. Even if it's only for tonight," she said.

Haley thought about Peyton's words. She knew they were right. She also knew that she could go back to her normal lifestyle tomorrow, but why not have some fun tonight. So, with determination, she walked up to the fence and started to climb it. Peyton grinned and followed and doon they were both in the pool. It was freezing because it was the middle of winter, but they both got used to it, and they had a good time.

END FLASHBACK

Haley laughed as she brought herself out of hte memory. "You know, we did get in trouble that night," she said, reminicently. "I let you take control of my life and you lead me right to the cops. You're lucky they didn't call my parents, I probably would have never spoken to you again," she reminded Peyton before dipping herself under the water.

A breeze blew by and Peyton went underwater too, to keep out of the cold. She did a couple more laps before lifting herself out of the pool. Haley followed and they both stood, fully drewwed and soaking wet, dripping water outside her back door. They were both hesitant to go in their dripping because neither of them would want to clean it up. Finally Peyton got fed up and she flung the door open, walking into the house. She turned back to Haley once she had stepped inside. "You can borrow some of my clothes. Come on," she said before turning and going upstairs to her room.

They both took a shower and Peyton gave Haley a pair of pajamas to put on. Peyton had let Haley shower first and when Peyton got out of the shower she found Haley cleaning up the water they had trailed through the house. She rolled her eyes at her best friend. "Didn't I tell you to leave that?" she asked. She pulled Haley off the floor. "Come on, it's been a long night. Let's go watch some old movies and fall alseep on the couch, just like old times," she said and they did. Through all the tension and everything else, they let it all go for the night and just hung out, like it had always been, the two of them, best friends, aginst the world.

A/N: Okay, I really want to start writing the next chapter for this, but I've got to update my other fic first, because I dont want to fall behind. I will get back to this, though, and hopefully soon. This chapter was to mainly explain what had been going on. Oh, and in case you don't remember, or you didn't read Can't Stop Destiny(although, if you're going to read this I suggest you read Can't Stop Destiny first) Lucas doesn't know who his mom is. She gave him up at birth and he lived with Deb, Dan and Nathan his whole life. I just wanted to clear that up. So, if you have any questions or just want to comment on my fic, whether you love it or hate it, leave a review, please. All reviews are appricieated. Thanks in advance.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fan fiction, now would I? 


	3. Chapter 3

Peyton woke up to a pounding on the front door. Before she could even get up she heard a click of a lock and the front door opened. She looked over just as a fuming Brooke came into the room. "You are such a liar P. Sawyer," she pointed an accusing finger at Peyton. Peyton knew Brooke was mad at her, but she couldn't help but be amused. She nudged Haley, who was on the couch with her. Haley fell off the couch as she stretched, just as Nathan walked into the living room.

Peyton laughed even harder as Haley pulled herself back onto the couch. "Sorry, Hales, it's been a long time since we've fallen asleep on the couch together. I guess I should have let you use one of my guess bedrooms, and I could have slept in my bed," she said as she stretched also, trying to work the ache out of her back muscles. She noticed Brooke was still glaring and she looked over at Nathan. "You are such a snitch," she said to him, even though she was amused.

Peyton stood up and stretched some more, running a hand through her hair before walking to the kitchen. "I'm going to put a pot of coffee on," she said, just as Nathan took Peyton's recently vacanted place next to Haley. As they started kissing on the couch, Brooke went into the kitchen to glare at Peyton. Peyton just ingored Brooke; the only sign that showed that she knew Brooke was there was the amused grin on her face. As she started the coffe she called out, "Please don't do anything on that couch that will make me want to burn it."

Brooke started tapping her foot. She was getting aggrivated by the fact that Peyton wasn't begging for her forgiveness. "Why did you lie and tell me that Nathan and Haley arrived today? I called your cell and Haley's cell this morning and neither of you answered. So I called Nathan and he said they had arrived last night and Haley was over here," she finally broke the silence when it appeared Peyton wouldn't.

Peyton finally looked over at Brooke as the coffee started brewing. "Listen, I just wanted a night alone with my best friend. I haven't seen her since Lucas left me and I knew she would want to ask me questions about it. I didn't want to have some kind of slumber party and then ruin the night buy bawling over Lucas. Now that that's out of the way, I don't have to ever talk about him leaving me again," she said, the hurt at the thought of Lucas evident in her voice. Brooke's face softened and shestepped closer to Peyton, but Peyton continued speaking before Brooke could even open her mouth. "Now, why don't you help me cook some breakfast. Or you can go and spend some time with Haley. Your choice," she said.

Brooke stared at Peyton for a minute. She could tell Peyton needed a minute alone with her thoughts so she just nodded carefully and silently backed out of the room. She knew how Peyton could get when she was thinking about Lucas. Peyton opened the refrigerator and triednot to cry as she heard Brooke leave the room. The worst part was, she knew she had to call Lucas, and soon. she couldn't let her boys go through the pain of not having a father, especially when the only reason their father wasn't around was because of her.

Brooke stood next tot he couch, realizing that Haley and Nathan didn't plan on coming up for air any time soon. She cleared her throat. The kept on going at it. She cleared her throat louder and kicked someone's shin. She was aiming for Nathan's, but it might have been Haley's. "Ow, Brooke, what was that for?" It was Haley. The pair had pulled apart and Haley was rubbing her shin. Brooke forced her way in between Haley and Nathan, giving Haley a hug.

Haley hugged back, looking over Brooke's shoulder at Nathan, an apologetic look on her face. Nathan just shrugged it off, getting up and moving over to the chair. Brooke pulled back, looking Haley over. "How is life as the wife of a NBA star?" she asked as she settled into the couch, pulling her legs up underneath her, readying herself for the gossip.

Haley blew out a sigh before looking over at her husband with a smile. "Things are good. The only thing I miss is being here, with my friends. I miss Tree Hill, and Peyton, and you," she paused. "It's really great, though. I've been to every game, and let me tell you, the players are hot," she added, just to se the look of jealously on Nathan's face as he heard her words. "I mean, number 23, he has a great ass," she continued.

Haley continued talking, but Brooke quickly held up her hands. "Okay, ew, I so did not want to hear about your sex life. Lets move on, please. I hear you've finished getting your degree. You're, like, the only one who's actually doing something with her schooling. The rest of us are just kind of, becoming successful, without it," she added, knowing Haley would pick up the hint.

Haley knew exactly what Brooke wanted her to say. She decided it would be best just to oblige. "What about you, B. Davis? A hot clothing line, your own magazine, your own company. Your clothes are on nearly every girl in America. How is that life going?" The complements had all been said in a light tone of voice, but the last question was serious and both Haley and Brooke knew what Haley meant.

Brooke cleared her throat. She didn't even want to think about it. She cleared her throat, trying to think of a way to put it without mentioning her, like Haley wanted. "Well, the single life is great. I mean, it's been a long time since I was single, but these past six months have been great. I almost forgot how great it was to be free," she said, trying to act as if she didn't care, but she had to put all those sleepless nights and days spent missing her out of her mind. Then something came to her mind and she smiled a real smile. "Actually, there is a new guy in my life right now. I kind of just met him, but he asked me out and we're going out this weekend," she said triumphantly.

With that, Peyton poked her head out of the kitchen. "No way, you did not tell me that. What's his name?" she asked, interested. They all knew Brooke had been pining over Rachel for the last six months, and they would all be glad when Booke got over her. Peyton retreated back into the kitchen at Brooke's glare. She had to get back to her eggs, anyway.

The truth was, she hadn't actually planned to go out with the guy. He had given her his number and asked her out, but she had politely said no, although she did still have the number. When she saw the look Haley was giving her as she waited patiently for an answer to Peyton's question, Brooke decided she might as well call the guy up, once she was aloneof course, and ask if he still wanted to go out. "His name is Chase. He says he's been in Tree Hill all his life, so you two might know him," Brooke said, making sure her voice was loud enough for Peyton to hear.

The name didn't click in Peyton's head, though it probably should have, but it did click in Haley's. She stayed silent about it, though. Before she could say anything to Brooke, her nephews came down the stairs. Jason crawled up into his uncle's lap and Aiden took the place on the couch in between Haley and Brooke. "Where's Mama?" Aiden asked.

Peyton poked her head out of the kitchen. "Mama's in the kitchen, cooking for my best friend who could at least do me the decency to come in here and talk with me," she shot a look at Haley before returning to the kitchen, where she had to tend to the bacon she had cooking on the stove. Haley looked a little sheepish as she got up and walked into the kitchen.

Brooke got up too. "Oh, no you don't, P. Sawyer. You stole her last night, you can't ghaver her to yourself this morning, too," she said as she followed Haley, leaving Nathan alone with the boys. He decided to take them outside and teach them what he knew best. They found the basket balls Nathan had bought them theprevious year on their birthday, andstarted teaching them how to shoot hoops.

In the kitchen, Haley and Brooke took seats on the barstools at the counter while Peyton cooked. "So, Mama Sawyer, you ever plan on letting Daddy know that he's got a third child on the way? You do realize you're starting to show and if you keep making it in the paper because of Tric and your label then eventually there's gonna be a picture of a pregnant Peyton and I bet he'll see it," Brooke said, pulling a grape out of a bowl Peyton had sitting on the counter and popping it into her mouth.

Peyton glared at her friend before looking down at her slight bump, placing her hand over it. She used her free hand to pick up the spatula, flipping a pancake she was making before answering. "I think I'm going to call him today. Not for me, or even for him, but for Jason and Aiden. For two little boys who think their father doesn't love them anymore. I hop you guys never have to see the pain in your childs eyes as they ask you if their daddy still loves them," she said, still feeling the pain of her sons ripping at her heart.

Brooke's eyes widened and she nesarly choked on the grape. She forced it down, standing and grabbing a glass from the cupboard before filling it with water. She drank a few gulps before gasping for air. She turned slowly to look at Peyton. "Did you, Peyton Sawyer, just say you were going to call Lucas Scott, the man who broke your heart, whose heart you broke, who, every time you think about him, makes you feel like crying, to this day?" she asked finally studying Peyton, who had her eyes on the food she was cooking.

Haley rolled her eyes at Brooke's dramatics. She wanted to believe that it was all just an over exaggeration because if it wasn't, she had no idea what was going through her best friends mind anymore, and she couldn't stand that. "Oh, come on, Brooke, it can't possibly be that bad," she said, looking at Peyton, her eyes pleading for her to just agree, to shove off Brookes flair for drama. Peyton's eyes stayed downcast and Haley knew that it was true.

Brooke looked at Haley, then back at Peyton. "No, Hales, you don't know the half of it. Every time I mention his name she either flips out at me, or just looks like she's going to break down in tears. Even looking at her children, seeing him in them, makes her tear up. She has really bad says sometimes and she thinks I don't notice, but I do. I've been walking on eggshells for the past four months, watching what I say, and what I do. Anything that reminds her of him and she goes off the deep end. The only thing keeping her afloat is her work and her kids and i wish I could help her, but she won't let me," she said, talking like Peyton wasn't even there, but, the whole time, keeping her eyes on the blonde.

Haley looked back and forth between the women, her supposed-to-be friends, and realized she had let herself get caught up in her face-paced L.A life. She had drifted away from them, and now she needed to fix it. Before Haley could say anything, Peyton turned off the stove. "Breakfast is ready," she said before leaving the kitchen. Haley heard the front door open and then click shut and she looked over at Brooke.

They shared a look before Haley went to the back yard, to let the boys know breakfast was ready. They both knew the broody blonde needed some time alone. She had probably driven away already anyway and though Haley knew where she would end up, she knew Peyton would come back, when she was ready. As everyone sat down at the table, Aiden looked up to Haley, after noticing the absence of his mother. "Is Mama at work?" he asked.

Haley could tell that the boys were used to Peyton working long hours, but she plastered a smile on her face and shook her head. "No, your mom just needed some alone time this morning," she answered, glancing over at Brooke before looking over at Nathan, taking his hand for some comfort. She hated that they seemed used to this, and she hated that she hadn't been there for Peyton in the last four months. She decided that she was going to change things, especially if Nathan got drafted to Charlotte.

It was past lunchtime when the front door opened and Peyton walked back into the house, still in her pajamas. Haley and Brooke had handled lunch using some food from Peyton's kitchen and Nathan was now in the back yard, again, with the boys and the basket balls. Brooke and Haley were sitting on the couch, but when Peyton came in, Haley immediately jumped up, pulling her best friend into a hug. "I'm sorry that I haven't been there for you, lately, but I promise I will be, from now on," she said into Peyton's hair.

Peyton gently pulled away, a smile that all three women knew was fake plastered on her face. "It's okay, Hales, I know you have your own life. No big deal," she said. Then, looking around, she added, "Where are my boys?" but she was already on her way to the back yard. She stepped out onto the back porch and she hugged them both, giving them each a kiss on the head. "How about we get our bathing suits on and go swimming? I know you guys have been asking me to go swimming with you for a while," she offered.

Aiden shared a look with his brother before looking at his mother. "Mama, that sounds cool, but don't we have to go to school soon?" he asked. Peyton's eyes widened as she realized he was right. She herded them both into the house and up to their room so they could get ready for school. Brooke had to go deal with something at her store, so Peyton let Haley and Nathan take the boys to school.

Peyton knew both women were coming back, and soon, but she had one thing she had to do first. She picked up her phone, her fingers dialing those familiar numbers. She listened to it ring three times, and realized he was probably wondering why she was calling him. On the fifth ring she was about to hang up and forget about calling him, but he answered with a breathless hello. Peyton took a deep breath, knowing it was now or never. "Hello Luke," she said.

A/N: Okay, so here's the next chapter. I don't really have that much to say about it. Just leave lots of reviews and tell me what you all think.

Disclaimer: Don't own One Tree Hill. 


	4. Chapter 4

Lucas froze at the sound of her voice. It had been four months since he had last heard it. Four long, hard months. He had been thankful that he had the book tour to keep him going, because he missed that voice, and the person that came along with it. He missed his sons, too. He had desperately wanted to go back, apologize and bef her to take him back, many times, while he had been on tour, but his pride hadn't let him. "Luke, are you there?" she asked tenatively, her voice bringing him out of his thoughts.

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, Peyton, I'm here. What do you need? Is something wrong with the boys? What is it? Should I book a flight?" his panic began to get the better of him as he realized the only reason she would call him now would be if his sons were in trouble. He also noticed that her voice was exactly as he had remembered it, just as beautiful. He desperately wished he could see her.

Peyton swallowed hard at the sound of his voice. It made her ache with longing for him. She wished she could tell him how much she loved him. She couldn't, though. He had walked away. He was the one who had left her. He didn't want her anymore. She closed her eyes and realized, with relief, that he was panicking about their children. That meant he still cared. While she had known that, deep down, it still felt good to know that she hadn't been completely wrong for still loving him. "No, the children aren't hurt. At least not physically," she answered.

Lucas was glad to hear they weren't hurt, but then he realized exactly what she said. "What do you mean, 'not physically'?" he asked cautiously. He could feel his heart beating faster just because he was talking to her and he berated himself. She had rejected him, he reminded himself. She didn't want him. He closed his eyes and tried to picture her as she talked.

Peyton sighed. Just the sound of his voice sped up her heart and quickened her breathing. She told herself that she did not call for that. She didn't call for reconcilliation between them. She desperately wanted to hang up, to end her connection to him, but she couldn't. She had to be strong, for her boys. "They need their father. They started school, you know," she informed him, trying to make her voice sound less airy, and more business-like.

Lucas slapped his hand to his forehead at her words. He hated himself as much as he knew she must hate him for missing that. "When? Why didn't you call me, and let me know?" he asked. He desperately wished he could turn back time, go back to four months ago, when everything seemed right in the world. He wished she had said yes, or maybe he wished that he had never asked. Would things still be so perfect between them if he hadn't asked? Peyton's voice broke him out of his regrets.

Peyton decided to just ignore the second question. It was too hard to answer, and she wasn't sure she could put words to the answer anyway. The first question was easy, though. She could answer that. "Yesterday. They started kindegarten yesterday," she paused, unsure of whether or not she could say what she wanted to say next, or if her voice would give out. When she was relatively sure she had her voice under control, she continued. "You know what Jason asked me last night, Lucas. He asked me if you still loved him. They both think you left because you don't like them anymore. Do you realize how much it hurt, seeing that pain in my sons eyes?" her voice cracked at the end, but other than that, she thought she did good.

Lucas felt his world crashing down around him. With those words, it was all put into perspective. He should never have left. He couldn't let his own children think he hated him. He was becoming his mother. He couldn't leave his children like she had left him. He couldn't be her. He knew now what he needed to do. He needed his family back, if they would take him. If not Peyton, then at least the boys. "I'll be there by the weekend. It'll be tough getting out of the tour, but I'll figure it out," he said finally.

Peyton couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had just wanted him to come see the boys once in a while. She didn't want him to give up his dream, not when it was so obviously the most important thing in his life. "Luke, you can't. Things are going so good for you. Just come visit once in a while. Let them know you care," she said. If he came back, it would mean she would either have to avoid him, or actually move on. Or maybe she could get away with making everyone think she had moved on.

Lucas was sure in his decision. He had made too many bad decisions recently to waver in this one. "No, Peyton, I'm done with this. You said it yourself, they need a father. Whatever this tour was, it's over for me. It's not as important to me as my boys. It's not as important to me as you," he whispered the last part, but Peyton heard it perfectly. She wished she hadn't. "I'll be there as soon as I can get a flight out of here," he said, more sure of that than of anything else. He had to set things right. He said goodbye and hung up before she could say anything else. He had known she wouldn't say anything else.

After a few moments, Lucas flipped his phone open again, dialing the number for his editor. "Hey, Keirah, I need to let you know, I'm pulling out of the tour," he paused while he let the information sink in. "I have to do this, my kids need me. I'm moving back home," he paused to let her yell at him. "Sorry, I can't do it anymore. I've been enough places. If people don't like the book, they don't like it, but I can't do this anymore," he paused again, listening to her. "I need a flight for as soon as possible to Tree Hill," he said with finality before flipping his phone closed, ending the call.

Lucas began packing up his belongings. He had only been in the hotel room for a couple days, so things weren't really that spread out, but he made sure his suitcase was all packed. He didn't take much when he left for the tour, and he didn't have much now. He sat on the bed, waiting impatiently for the call from Keirah, letting him know when his flight would be. Finally, his phone rang. "The earliest you can get out of here is in the morning, a seven o'clock flight," she paused. "Lucas, I'll ask you again, are you sure you want to give up everything?" she asked hesitantly.

Lucas sighed, annoyed by the question because he knew now, without a doubt, that he had to do this. "I hope you bought that ticket," he said in answer before shutting his phone and laying back on the bed. He decided he might as well get some rest before getting on the plane, though he doubted he would be able to. He found himself trying to remember exactly what Peyton looked like, so he would be ready to see her when he got there. It had been so long, that he found his memory of her was fuzzing at the edges.

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Peyton heard the line click and knew he was gone. The connection was gone. She snapped her phone shut, but kept looking at it, wondering if that had really happened. Could it have really been that easy? If she had called him four months ago, and begged him to come back, would he have? Could they have been a family for the past four months?

She refused to even let her mind go down that road. He wasn't coming back for her. He was coming back for them. The three of them. Aiden, Jason and the son or daughter he didn't even know he had. If it was for her, he would never have left in the first place. She desperately tried to convince herself of this as she laid on her bed, in the silence of her home, but his last words kept echoing through her mind. 'It's not as important to me as you.' 'As you.' Two simple words, that meant so little, yet so much.

As the words kept bouncing around in her head she wondered, did he really mean them? He couldn't, right? He wouldn't have left her if he did. She hadn't said no. She had said someday. Someday didn't mean never, it just meant not now. She hadn't been ready then. Or, at least, she had thought she wasn't ready back then. Given the choice, knowing what she knew now, if she had to go back, she would have said yes in a heartbeat. If she had known he would intrepret someday as no, and to keep him she had to say yes, she would have said it in an instant. She wished she had said it.

She hadn't, though, and he had left. She couldn't go back now. The best she could do would be to move on. There had to be someone else in Tree Hill who was available. She just had to find him. Being the owner of a record label and the part owner of the local night club, you wouldn't think it would be that hard to find a nice, available guy. You wouldn't think that. But you'd be wrong.

Peyton forced herself to stop thinking about him. What was going to happen, would happen, whether she spent hours thinking about it or not. She decided to get in the shower and go to her office. She had promised herself she would take the day off, but she needed to focus her mind on something else so Lucas wouldn't occupy her thoughts all the time.

When Peyton got out of the shower, she started to dry her hair. She was picking out something to change into to go to work in when she heard the front door open and voices calling her name. "I'm in my bedroom," she called back, rummaging through her closet. She heard footsteps on the stairs and a few seconds later Brooke, followed by Haley, entered the room.

Brooke saw that Peyton had taken a shower and looked over at Haley with a smile. "Aw, P. Sawyer, you didn't have to take a shower just for me," she walked over to the closet, shoving Peyton out of the way. "I'll pick you out some hot clothes, Mama Sawyer. Don't worry, we're going to go out and have some fun, Haley and I have decided. I'm glad you're on the same page," she said.

Peyton stumbled. "Hey, pregnant woman here. Watch it," she said as she grabbed Brooke's arm, pulling her out of the closet. "There's been a change of plans, anyway. I have to go into the office today. We'll all hang out tomorrow, or later today or something. I trust you can handle entertaining Haley for the day, right Brooke?" she asked, completely in the closet, trying to keep either of the other women from seeing her face.

Brooke and Haley shared a look before Haley approached Peyton. "Okay, Peyt, what happened during the phone call?" she asked. Peyton mumbled something, but neither of the other women caught it. "Come on, out with it, you can tell us anything, you know," she coaxed, taking Peyton's arm and gently pulling her out of the closet.

Peyton let Haley lead her to the bed and she sat down, looking at the ground as Haley sat next to her. Haley waited patiently and Brooke sat down on Peyton's other side, also taking her arm. They both made it clear they had no intention of letting her go without her speaking up. Finally Peyton repeated what she had mumbled. "Lucas is coming to town."

Both women let go of Peyton, in shock, and Peyton used her advantage. "Listen guys, I need to get my mind off of things, and I do that by going into the office. I'll just be a few hours. I'll be hack in time for dinner, promise," she said, grabbing the first outfit in her closet she found and changing into it. She pulled her hair back into a messy bun and didn't bother with make-up before she scurried out of the room, calling her last good-byes to Brooke and Haley over her shoulder as she left. Haley and Brooke both just let her go.

A/N: This chapter has got to be the fastest I have ever written. I just finished the most recent chapter for Stay My Baby and posted it. Then I took a little break to do my homework before coming back to my computer. Then it took me around an hour to write out this chapter! I am pleased with myself. I hope the next chapter I write comes out this easy. I probably won't write anymore tonight, though, because I have to get to bed. Let me know what you think of this, though. Reviews really do help and I appreciate them all.

Disclaimer: I don't own it, but I can't wait for the next episode of One Tree Hill. Anyone know why there wasn't a new one this week? Let me know if you do. 


	5. Chapter 5

Peyton got into her Comet. The night before she had only spent a couple hours at her office before leaving, just in time to pick up the twins and head home to cook dinner. She had spent the evening with Brooke, Haley and Nathan. The four of them had sat in the backyard, watching as Jason and Aiden splashed around in the pool before putting them to bed. After the boys were sound asleep, the four had taken up in the living room, where the three girls chatted, about old memories and new, while Nathan had played on the playstation, occasionally jumping into the conversation.

When it got late, Brooke went home, and Haley and Nathan went back to their hotel room, but Peyton didn't feel like sleeping, yet. So she went into her office, and started drawing, while listening to music , hoping that the new baby would be comforted by the music. At one point Aiden had woken up, crying for her, and Peyton had decided that was the perfect time to go to bed. So she took Aiden with her into her room and let him sleep with her for the night. Aiden had never told her about his nightmare, and Peyton wasn't sure if he didn't remember it, or he just didn't want to tell her.

In the morning, Peyton had woken up, with both boys jumping on her bed. She had tickled them senseless before getting up and making a breakfast that the four of them ate together. The boys were actually very excited about having another sibling. They talked to her stomach often, trying to explain the world to their new brother or sister.

Haley was visiting her family today, and Brooke was working, so Peyton spent the morning with her sons. After she had dropped them off at school she had gone into Tric to make sure things were still running smoothly. While she was in her office there, she had gotten a phone call from Fall Out Boy's manager. She had called him recently, asking if they would play at Tric. The manager had called back to tell her that the answer was yes. She knew that this would bring major business to Tric. Fall Out Boy was a major band.

So, all in all, it had been a good day so far. Now she was on her way to pick her boys up. She was making the exception to let them in her Comet even though she couldn't fit the seats in. Usually, she insisted they only ride in the SUV, but they loved the Comet and occassionally she made the exeption, though she was always extra careful when she did. She didn't want anything to happen to them because she was breaking laws.

After she picked them up, she was going to leave them at her house, with Nathan, and then she was going to go out with Brooke and Haley. Brooke had planned it all and wouldn't tell them what she had planned. Peyton was nearing the Rivercourt and decided to change the CD. She looked around, noticing her CD case was on the floor. Looking around, there wasn't really anything there, so she leaned down to pick it up.

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Lucas had arrived sometime in the afternoon. He wanted to go straight to see his kids, but he figured that they would be at school, and he didn't want to just barge in on Peyton. So he had chilled at his hotel room for an hour before he had got restless. He rememebered the basketball court and had walked there because he hadn't bought a new car yet. He had traded his truck to get the SUV, which was still in Peyton's possession, and he hadn't really needed his own car while on tour. So buying a car was on his list of things to do, along with find an apartment to rent.

He had played on the court for hours, before deciding that they must be home by now, and it was about time he headed back to his hotel so he could shower and go see his sons, and Peyton. He was wearing a sweatshirt, withthe hood up, and he had headphones blasting music in his ears as he walked, his mind on the basketball he was dribbling more than anywhere else.

He wasn't paying attention as he crossed a street, which was stupid, and he should have known better. He was brought out of his 'brooding' as Brooke would have called it, when he noticed the car screech to a halt. He looked up, pulling his hood off and the headphones out of his ears, ready to apologize, but his gaze was met by those green eyes he knew so well.

Peyton had sat back up again, surprised by the figure in the middle of the road. She slammed her foot on the break and the car screeched to a halt, throwing her forward. The top down, so she was about to yell at the idiot in the middle of the road, but when he turned to look at her, she was faced with those clear blue eyes that she could get lost in forever.

Both of them lost the words that they had been about to say. They just stared, taken aback at being forced into such close contact without warning. They weren't even close enough to reach each other, but the felt as if there was nothing else, no one else in the whole world. Peyton knew this had to stop. She couldn't say anything to him though, not yet, she wasn't ready. So she just widened her eyes at him, gesturing with her hands, hoping he'll take the hint and just get out of the way so she could leave.

Lucas got the hint and stepped out of the way, watching as Peyton sped off. He watched her car until it was nothing more than tail lights, flickering in the distance. Then he kept watching, until he couldn't see that anymore. When he finally regained use of his legs he started walking again, this time holding the basketball under his arm.

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Peyton slammed her empty glass down, "Lucas is back," she said, gesturing to the bartender for another. Brooke, Haley and Nathan had been at her house when she got back with the boys. Brooke had dressed the three of them up using Peyton's clothes, which was mainly stsuff from Clothes Over Bros, so it was Brooke's style anyway. Then Brooke had taken the three of them to Tric, so they could have a girls night out.

Peyton hadn't said much, and she definately hadn't mentioned Lucas, at least, until now. She had gone straight for the bar and started ordering drinks. Then, after a couple of shots and an apple martini, she had gone out to the dance floor, dancing with whoever danced for her. Brooke and Haley had just taken up seats at the bar, watching Peyton to make sure she didn't get in too deep, and wondering when she was going to tell them what was going on.

Now, an hour later, she had returned to the bar and slammed down another shot. She dropped her bomb to Brooke and Haley and now the bartender was back. "I just want a beer, bottle's fine, of whatever's closest," she said to him. He looked over at Brooke and Haley, but they just waved him away, gesturing with their half-full cups. Brooke usually flirted with the bartender, just for fun, but she was so stunned, she couldn't wait for him to get away.

Haley was the one who got over the shock first. She reached over and pulled the beer bottle out of Peyton's hands, just as Peyton was putting it up to her lips. Peyton reached out for it, but Haley flicked her nose. Brooke watched the scene, amused, but not getting involved. Peyton sat in shock for a moment. "Did you just flick me?" she asked as she lowered her hand. Haley nodded confidently. "Hales, what the hell? I flick my boys when they do something wrong, as opposed to hitting them. Why the hell did you just flick me? And give me back my beer," she exclaimed, the pitch of the end of her sentence rising up to a whine.

Haley shook her head, holding the drink out of Peyton's reach as Peyton reached across Brooke. "I'm not giving this back until you tell us what happened, with the phone call, and how you know he's back. And I flicked you because you're being ridiculous, hiding from Lucas with alcohol. You actually have a responsibility to your children. The one's here and the one yet to come. How can you be doing this?" she asked.

Peyton's eyes widened and she immediately dropped her hand to her stomach as she looked down at it. She began softly caressing her slight bulge. She looked back up at her best friends with tears in her eyes. "I'm an idiot," she stated softly. Neither of them denied it. They just sat, waiting for her to continue. "When I called him yesterday he told me he was coming back. He had made a mistake with leaving and he was coming back for his children. He's giving up the tour for them, and he doesn't even know about this one yet," she paused, rubbing her belly.

Both Brooke and Haley waited for Peyton to compose herself and continue with the story. After a moment Peyton took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I almost ran him over," she said, and then found herself pouring out the whole story, how she saw him and couldn't move. She had been in shock, and she told them that she couldn't say anything to him, not then. She only left out the fact that seeing him again brought back all those feelings that she had thought she had buried and would never feel again.

Haley moved around Brooke and took her best friend in her arms, even though Peyton wasn't full on sobbing, she needed a hug. To be more specific, she really wished she could have a hug from Lucas, though she didn't even admit that to herself. She knew Lucas's hugs always made her feel better, because she felt safe in his arms, like nothing could harm her, ever. The next best thing was a hug from Haley, though, and it was all she could get now, so she accepted it. After a few moments she felt Brooke's arms around her, too, and the three of them were in a group hug.

Peyton pulled away and the other two took a step back. Haley rubbed Peyton's arm reassuringly. "You'll be okay, Peyton, you really will be. With him, or without him. You're strong, and you've managed through four months of pregnancy already. You can do this, and you don't need to do any damage to this baby by drinking," she said with a confident smile. Peyton smiled weakly back.

Brooke was biting her lip nervously. "I didn't mean to bring you here to drink, P. Sawyer. I wouldn't do anything to hurt this baby intentionally. If I had known you were feeling like drinking, I wouldn't have brought us here. I would have taken us somewhere else, so we could talk this through," she said, almost pleading with Peyton.

Peyton nodded, knowing the truth in this, and pulled Brooke into a hug. She knew Brooke was feeling guilty that Peyton had started drinking and could have possibly done damage to the baby. "I know, B. Davis. You wouldn't intentionally hurt this kid, or my other kids for that matter. You just wanted the three of us to let go and have some fun, dancing. It wasn't your fault that I lost myself and started drinking," she said, trying to comfort her friend as much as herself. She knew the blame laid entirely on herself, and she just hadn't been thinking.

Brooke finally nodded, looking somewhat, but not completely, convinced. "Promise me you'll make a doctor's appointment," she said. Peyton looked at her, her eye brows kinked, wondering what Brooke meant. Haley agreed with Brooke, but Brooke knew she needed to explain in a way that Peyton's alcohol soaked brain would understand. Peyton had always been a slow drunk. "To make sure the baby is okay. I want you to make a doctor's appointment to get the baby checked out," she added patiently.

The understanding passed over Peyton's face and she nodded. "I promise," she said. The three were silent for a minute before Peyton broke the silence. "Let's just have fun, you guys, please. Brooke was right; I do need to just have fun. I just wasn't doing it the right way," she held out her hands to her friends. "So, let's go hit the dance floor, beeyotches," she said, her tone taking on a less-serious tone. Both of the other woman looked at her for a minute before nodding and they each took one of her hands, allowing her to lead them to the dance floor.

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Peyton started up the steps to her front door, Haley behind her. Brooke had just dropped them off at Peyton's house, so that Haley could pick up her husband and head to the hotel room. Peyton was anxious to say goodnight to her kids, even if they were already sleeping, which they had better be. She had given Nathan explicit instructions. They had to be in bed by eight. If they were still up she was going to have to put them to bed, or they'd witness the murder of their uncle.

At Tric, everything had gone smoothly after Peyton had stopped drinking. The three friends had just danced and danced, sometimes with random guys, sometimes with each other, sometimes just alone. They left all their problems at the bar and stayed on the dance floor for most of the time. As Peyton danced, her two best friends near her, losing herself in the music, everything had almost seemed okay. She had her two boys, and another child on the way. She had her own record label and she partially owned the club she was dancing in. She had the best friends she could ask for, including Karen. She almost forgot about Lucas, and all the problems there, even if it was just for a night.

Now it was past one in the morning and she knew her sons would wake her up early in the morning. She was ready to crash and after thanking Nathan for babysitting she planned on doing just that. One thing hindered her plan, though, she realized as she entered the living room. Well, one person, really. With those blue eyes and blonde hair and sitting in her living room, she felt somewhat like she was being stalked. Couldn't she even get two minutes without thinking about him or seeing him?

Seeing her, he looked up from his boys, who were still up, she noted irritably, and stood, turning to face her. "Peyton," he said softly in that voice she couldn't get out of her head. She closed her eyes and counted to ten. When she opened her eyes he was still there, and her sons were running to give her a hug. They were excited because their father was there and he had let them stay up late. Couldn't she get two minutes without thinking about him or seeing him? Guess the answer was no. The worst part was, this time she couldn't avoid him.

A/N: Okay, so next chapter of this will be completely flashback. I know, I'm evil, leaving it like this and then not even making the next chapter pick up where this left off. Sorry, but I think now is the right time for you all to see exactly what happened when Lucas left Peyton. I don't want you to all hate him. Don't hate her either, though. They were both doing what they thought was best at the time. Anyway, I don't want to give away too much, but I just wanted to let you all know that. I always love your reviews and thanks to everyone who has left a review, or many.

Disclaimer: I don't own it, but I am impatiently waiting for the next to episode. I desparately need a CMM/James Lafferty fix. 


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I just want to make sure you all know, that this chapter is starting in the past. Four months in the past. Hopefully the rest will make sense as it goes and I'l finish my authors note after I finish the chapter.

Peyton once again looked around the house that Brooke had bought for her and her family. She still couldn't believe Brooke had just bought a house, and then given it to her. She couldn't wait to tell Lucas about it. "Have you boys picked your rooms yet?" she called, standing up off the nice couch, which was now hers. Brooke had bought the house fully furnished. Peyton vowed to pay her back one day, when her record label got big.

Jason and Aiden came running down the stairs adn into their mothers arms as she met them at the foot of the stairs. "Is this house really ours Mama?" Aiden asked, looking around with his wide blue, Scott eyes. Peyton smiled at his excitement and nodded. "What about our apartment?" he asked, looking kind of upset.

They had only lived in the apartment for a few months. It had been something for them to live in while they got on their feet. Peyton's label was about to take off, though and Lucas's book was being edited. So they had wanted to settle down in Tree Hill. Lucas was in New York at the moment, meeting with his editor. So Peyton had been alone while she signed her first band. Brooke had been in Tree Hill to help her celebrate, though. She had done so by buying the house. Peyton had tried to tell her it was too much, but Brooke hadn't listened. 'It is not too much for my P. Sawyer. Besides, with all the extra money from Clothes Over Bros, I'm never going to be able to spend all the money I have,' Brooke had told her. Peyton tried to protest, saying Brooke had just bought her own house, and given Peyton the start-up money for her label, so how could she possibly have the extra money to buy another new house.

'I have a magazine and an amazing fashion line. I think I can spare some money for the people who have been there for me for the past five years. Please, just let me do this, P.,' Brooke had practically begged. 'If it'll make you feel better you can pay me back when you get the money,' she had added, and that was what had ultimately decided it for Peyton.

Peyton ruffled her son's hair. "I told you that was just temporary. This will be our home for good. Promise," she said, getting down on her knees to look them in the eyes. They both looked a little upset about moving again. They had just gotten used to the apartment, and now she had to uproot them. She knew this couldn't be good for the child psyche. "Hey, how about this. We take a few months to get used to the apartment and if you still don't feel completely at home by the time you start school then," she paused, trying to think of something they had really wanted recently that she hadn't been able to make happen. "I'll get you guys a puppy," she said, trying to inflict some excitement into her voice.

Both of their faces lit up and Peyton smiled, too, happy that she could make her boys that happy. She straightened, turning them back toward the stairs. "So, show me which rooms you guys want," she said as she took one of their hands in each of hers, letting them lead her up the stairs. There was an extra bounce in their steps, which she knew was the excitement of getting a dog in the future. She only hoped that by the time they started school they had either adjusted, or they completely forgot about her promise.

When they got up the stairs the boys stopped, turning to face her. "Daddy will be staying in your room, right?" Jason asked. Peyton tilted her head and nodded slowly. She had no idea where they were going with this. She had to keep her sarcastic comment to herself, though, as she reminded herself that she was around her five year olds. "So we each get our own room and you have to share?" he asked, teasing.

Peyton stuck her tongue out at them. "Well, can I tell you a secret about your daddy?" she asked, beckoning for them the move closer. They complied and she leaned forward right between them so her mouth was next to both their ears. "Daddy is afraid of the dark, and he needs me to protect him," she whispered, causing both Aiden and Jason to burst into fits of giggles. She pulled away, looking at them seriously. "You guys are my big boys, though, right? You can take care of yourselves?" she spoke in a normal volume.

When they finished giggling, they contemplated her question for a minute. "We can go sleep with you if we need to, right?" Aiden asked. "Anytime we want?" he added. Jason didn't say anything, but he nodded, wondering the same thing. The house was big, and it seemed like it might be scary at night. Jason didn't want to seem scared, though.

Peyton studied her boys for a minute. "Of course. I'll always be here for you. So will your daddy. We love you veyr much, and we'll always be here to protect you. Anytime you need us, all you have to do is yell, and one of us will be there. Even when you stay the night somewhere else, like Aunt Brooke's, or Aunt Haley and Uncle Nate's, all you have to do is call, and your dad and I will be there for you," she said, pulling them both in for a hug before giving them each a kiss on the cheek and letting go.

Peyton looked down and could tell they were still uneasy about picking. She decided to take another tactic. "Listen, Daddy will be coming home tonight, so let's wait until tomorrow to pick rooms. You guys can sleep in my room with me tonight, and when you wake up in the morning Daddy will be here, and he'll help you choose rooms. Remember, we can decorate it however you want once you guys pick a room," she paused, noticing how excited they got at the mention of their dad. "Let's go get some dinner at Karen's Cafe," she said, mainly because she didn't want to cook.

Both boys looked relieved to be distracted from the room situation and they ran back down the stairs. Peyton smiled as she followed them, reminding them to be careful. They were waiting at the front door when Peyton got there and, as always, waited for her to open the door before they left the house. She quickly got them into the SUV before climbing in behind the wheel. She asked them where they wanted to go to eat. "Karen's Cafe," they shouted as one.

Peyton had known they would say that. It had become their favorite place to eat the first time they had gone in there. She didn't mind though. She liked the Cafe just as much as the boys. She was also growing close to Karen, the owner of the Cafe. So she started driving in the direction of the Cafe, glancing occassionally in the rearview mirror, where she could see her sons playing with their toys in the back seat.

When Peyton pulled her SUV to a stop she realized the Cafe looked kind of empty. She quickly let the boys out and they ran into the Cafe with her trailing behind. Karen, who had been sitting at a booth, looking at blue prints because of the lack of customers, looked up when she heard the doors open, and almost began rolling up the papers, but stopped when she realized who it was. Peyton and the kids had become regular customers in the months that they had lived in Tree Hill, and Peyton was becoming one of Karen's close friends. Peyton walked over, looking at the blue prints with interest as Karen greeted her boys. "What is this?" she asked, gesturing at the papers with her chin.

Karen took one last look before rolling them up with a sigh, getting to her feet at the same time. "Oh, I was just thinking of expanding my business by opening up a club in town, somewhere bands can play, that could have an all ages night, but I don't have the money to start it on my own, so it's kind of an empty dream," she said, in a kind of off-handed way. Peyton somewhat liked the idea, but she didn't have the money right now, and there was no way she was asking Brooke for more money, so she filed the idea away, something to think about when she got more money.

Karen put the blue prints away behind the counter, and then looked down at the boys, a smile on her face. "There is something I did have the money for, though. I made an addition to the Cafe, especially for you two," she said, before glancing up at Peyton. "You mind if I take them in the back to show them their new play room here?" she asked.

The boys both got excited and Peyton smiled and nodded. "Of course," she said, standing, "but I want to see it, too. Lead the way, Miss Roe," she said, pretending to be as excited as her kids as Karen led them all into the back, and through a door to where their new playroom was. It was easy to get caught up in her sons' excitement, though, and by the time she saw it, she was as excited as them. Jason and Aiden looked up with her, silently asking her if they could go play with the toys, and Peyton nodded. "Go play, she made this room for you," she gave them a light shove before looking at Karen, one eyebrow raised. "Wasn't this room a storage room just two days ago, the last time I came here?" she asked as she walked with Karen back to the booth where she had set her stuff.

Karen nodded, somewhat sheepishly. "I spent all of last night and the night before moving the stuff out, then painting it, then moving the new stuff in for the boys. I figured it was the least I could do. They're in here all the time, and they always look so bored. So I thought they might like it," she said with a shrug. To be honest, Karen had always wanted someone to build a playroom for, but had never had any kids. Actually, that was a lie, she did have a kid, or she had, at one point in her life. That hadn't worked out, though, and no one really knew about it.

Peyton smiled, glad to ahve someone who loved her kids so much that she would work for two nights straight to do something for them, and that's after working all day, both days. She knew they had Brooke, and their dad and Haley and Nathan, when they were around, but it was nice to know they had someone else too, especially since Karen had only known them for a few months. After Peyton ordered, some other customers came in, so Karen couldn't talk as much, but when Jason and Aiden came out, she was immediately at their table so she could take their order.

When it started getting dark outside Peyton decided it was time to get home. She said good-bye to Karen, loaded the kids up, and drove back to the house. "So, where do you guys want to sleep tonight?" she asked as they entered the house. Jason and Aiden immediately began protesting the idea of going to sleep. They wanted to stay up until their dad got home. Peyton listened to their reasons for a few minutes before shaking her head and holding her hands up so they would stop. "All right, all right, I guess I'll let you stay up. It's been a coupld days since you've seen him and I know you guys want to see him just as much as I do. You can stay up," she said.

The boys started cheering, amazed that she had given in so easily. They each gave her a hug, thanking her. Peyton wasn't quite finished talking yet, though. "Wait, there are a few conditions," she said and their faces fell, wondering what the conditions were. "You have to get into your pajamas now, and sit on the couch and watch a movie with me. If you happen to fall asleep while watching the movie, then I'll wake you when he gets here," she said. They both agreed and Peyton got them some pajamas from the suitcase she had haistily thrown together when she had decided to stay the night at the new place. She knew she needed to move the rest of the stuff from the apartment over, but she was hoping Lucas would help her do that tomorrow.

When they boys re-entered the living room, fully dressed in their pajamas, teeth brushed and ready for bed, Peyton sat on the couch, Jason on one side of her and Aiden on the other, after she had put in a movie that she knew would put them asleep. Sure enough, no more than twenty minutes into the movie, both of her boys were asleep. She got up, covered them with a blanket, and walked into the room that she planned on making into her office. It already was an office, and she sat down, pulling out her sketchpad, which she hardly ever went anywhere without, and began to draw, keeping her ears open for any signs that one of the boys needed her.

Peyton had been drawing for a couple hours when she heard a knock on the door. She smiled, because she knew exactly who it was. She had sent a message to Lucas's phone while he had been on the plane, telling him to come to this address immediately when he got off the plane. She walked through the house, a smile playing on her lips that only came out because of Lucas Scott. She opened the door and could see he was frantic, wondering why he was here.

Lucas saw Peyton and immediately began asking questions, but Peyton silenced him with a kiss. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him into the house, closing the front door behind them. When she pulled away he was breathless. Peyton leaned her forehead against his, wondering what exactly he was going to say when he found his breath. "That was amazing, Blondie, and I missed you, but why are we here?" he asked.

Peyton took his hand, lacing her fingers through his and turned, using her free arm to gesture around the house. "We're home, Lucas. This is our home," she said before turning back to him and kissing him again. When he pulled away from her, she knew she had some explaining to do. "Well, Brooke kind of bought this house for us, today. I signed my first band, and this is the way Brooke decided to celebrate," she said, waiting for his reaction.

Lucas stood in open-mouthed shock, taking it all in. It was hard to believe the house he was in was theirs. When he had pulled up, he had been wondering who owned such a lavish house, and why Peyton had wanted him to go to it. When he looked back at her, he broke into a grin, pulling her into his arms and picking her up off the ground, giving her a spin as he realized what exactly she had said. "That's amazing, Peyton. You're amazing. I can't believe this. Your label is taking off, my book is being edited and going on tour. We have two amazing kids. This house is ours. Things are perfect," he paused. He hadn't planned this, but he couldn't stop the next two words from slipping out of his mouth. "Marry me."

The look of happiness slid off Peyton's mouth as he set her down, his words ringing in her ears. Had he just asked her to marry him? He repeated the words, getting down on one knee to make his intentions clear. She shook her head, still in shock, not willing to believe this was happening. She couldn't get married, not now. The timing wasn't right. "Come on, Peyt, be my wife. We already lead a practically married life anyway. Why can't we make it official?" he didn't understand her reaction.

She pulled away from him, still shaking her head. "No, I can't, Lucas. We can't. Were not ready.I'm not ready. I mean, you just said it, our dreams are just starting to come true. We're together. Isn't that enough," she saw his face fall and she didn't want him to think she was totally turning him down. She just wasn't ready. "I do want to marry you, Lucas, I do. Just," she paused, "can't we wait? I mean, like you said, we're practically married now, can't it just wait a year or two before we make it official?" she asked.

Lucas got to his feet. She said 'no.' He asked her to marry him and she declined. That's all that was going through his mind. She reached out to him, trying to take his hand, but he turned away from her. "Lucas, no, wait. I want to marry you, I do. I'm just afraid it'll ruin everything we already have right now. Can't it wait? Please, can't it wait," she pleaded with him. "Can't we just forget you ever asked, and go back to the way it was?" she threw out there, her last desperate attempt to let him know that she wasn't saying 'no', she just wasn't ready.

Lucas shook his head, but he turned to face her again. "What about Haley and Nathan? They got married and they're so happy. It didn't ruin their relationship. What are you so afraid of?" he asked, tenderly taking her hand. He already had a ring for her, though it was at the apartment. He was deciding against telling her, though, especially if she was turning him down.

Peyton was scared of a lot of things. She was scared marriage would ruin everything. Almost every married couple she knew had had problems. Her own parents had been in love, she knew, but her dad was taken from her mom when they could have had so much more time together. Haley's parents barely had time for each other with all the kids. Brooke's parents had never loved each other, and were only married for money. She just didn't see how marriage could fix anything, expecially since what they already had wasn't broken. She looked at him one last time and she realized that it was either marriage or the end of their relationship.

She couldn't do that. He gave her an ultimatum and Peyton did the thing she did best when faced with an ultimatum. She ran. She turned from him and ran up the stairs and to the bedroom she had already picked out. Lucas tried to follow, but Aiden and Jason had woken up by that point, so he had to put them to sleep. When Lucas finally made it to the bedroom, he thought Peyton was asleep. She was lying on the bed, but when she heard him enter the room she sat up, looking at him with wet, pleading eyes. "Please, just lay with me and hold me and pretend this whole evening didn't happen," she begged. Lucas knew he couldn't do that, but he did lay with her, knowing that this was it.

In the morning Peyton woke up, expecting to find Lucas with her, but he was gone. Some part of her knew he had left, to go on that book tour, but she still searched the whole house looking for him, only to come up empty handed. She managed to hold in her tears, knowing the one person she really needed-besides Lucas- wasn't in town either. She called Brooke, begged her to take the boys for a few days, and then got on a plane, headed for L.A. and her best friend.

A/N: So the next chapter will be back in present time. I know a lot of you are upset because of the drinking Peyton did while she was pregnant, but it will come into the story. Eventually she and the babies will be okay, but for now it just needed to happen. Leave a review, let me know what you think of this chapter and the rest of the story. Oh, and I need to decide what Peyton will be having and maybe think of some names. Any ideas, just let me know. Thanks to everyone who has already reviewed.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. 


	7. Chapter 7

Lucas and Peyton stood, staring at each other for a few moments before their children got their attention. Aiden and Jason ran up to Peyton. "Daddy's home, Mama, isn't that great. You were right," Jason said, and Aiden hugged his mother's legs. Peyton strongly resisted the urge to start yelling and knelt down in front of her kids, trying to force a smile.

She opened her mouth to speak but was beat out by Jason, whose excited gaze kept darting back and forth between his mom and his dad. "Can Daddy stay the night here, Mama? He said he doesn't have a home yet. He's staying in a motel. Can't he please stay with us?" Jason begged. Lucas shuffled his feet nervously as Aiden echoed his brother's sentiments.

Peyton wanted to yell out 'no', but she couldn't do that to her kids, not when they were so excited to see their dad. She took a deep breath as she tried to decide what to say, keeping her eyes firmly off of Lucas. "Yeah, that is great. You two need to get to bed, though. I believe you were supposed to be in bed by 8," she said sternly, throwing a glare up at Nathan before looking at her kids once more. "Tell you what, I'll let Daddy tuck you in tonight, since it's been so long since you've seen him, and I'll think about letting him stay the night," she said.

The boys cheered and they each took one of Lucas's hands, pulling him up the stairs to their bedroom. Haley, who was still standing in the doorway, the nervousness evident on her face, stepped aside to let them by. Nathan tried to edge out of the room, but Peyton held up a hand. "You better not be thinking of going anywhere, Nathan Scott. I'm not done with you yet," she growled out.

Haley's eyes widened as she heard the tone in Peyton's voice. After being her friend for so long, she knew that was not a tone you want to hear from Peyton, and she knew right now her husband was going to get it. All she needed to do was get out of the way, or she'd go down with Nathan. She looked at her husband and sent him an apolgetic look before taking a seat on the couch, waiting for it all to play out.

Peyton slowly turned to face Nathan, waiting for an explanation that he didn't have. She tapped her foot impatiently and when he didn't say anything, she blew out a sigh. "Why is he here, Nate, and why didn't you at least call me and warn me?" she asked as her spark of anger blew out, leaving nothing but pain and sadness, which she quickly covered by putting up her walls. She fell onto the couch next to Haley, waiting for Nathan's answer.

Haley knew what this meant, too. It meant that the anger had just been a cover for the other emotions and Peyton just didn't have the strength to be angry anymore. Haley put her arm around her best friend, also waiting for her husband'a answer. "Peyton, they're his kids, too and he begged me not to let you know he was here. He just wanted a little bit of time with his kids and knew you would throw him out, with good reason I might add, as soon as you knew he was here," Nathan finally said.

Peyton hung her head, ashamed. She had to admit, that he was right. She had been planning to throw him out of the house as soon as he had come back downstairs. She couldn't do that, though. She knew her kids had missed him and if they woke up in the morning and he was gone they would have questions and she didn't want to look like the bad guy. She knew she had to let him stay, at least until he found a more permanent place to stay that wasn't a motel room. She nodded, slowly. "Yeah, I guess you're right.," she said softly.

Haley and Nathan shared a look. They were both surprised that Peyton had given in so easily. They had expected a lot more yelling, at least. Haley shrugged at her husband, wondering who would be the one to break the silence that had fallen over them. Peyton finally looked up. "Don't be so shocked, guys. I know it was a little selfish of me to want to throw him out. The kids love him and need him and that's what really matters," she said firmly. "You can go, I actually kind of need to talk to Lucas anyway," she said, giving Haley a quick hug before pulling out of her embrace.

Peyton stood and Haley did too, glancing at Nathan before looking back at her best friend. "Listen, in case you get any pains in the stomach or anything, I want you to go straight to the ER, and don't forget to call me. Who knows what could happen after tonight, and I don't want you to take any chances, okay?" she said, looking sternly at Peyton.

Peyton sighed and nodded. "I promise," she said. No one got a chance to speak again before Lucas entered the room. Peyton looked pointedly at Nathan and Haley, who said their goodbyes before leaving the house hand in hand. Peyton watched them leave and kept her gaze in that direction long after she heard the front door close. Lucas finally cleared his throat, bringing Peyton's attention to him. "You can take the couch," she said.

She walked away, headed for the linen closet so she could grab a sheet and some blankets and make up the couch for him. When she re-enetered the living room he was still standing in the same place. She started making up the couch, trying to avoid his gaze. "Are you sure, Peyton? I don't have to stay, really," he said, wishing she would look at him, give him any sign that she was really okay with him staying.

Peyton knew what he wanted and she couldn't give it to him. She finished making up the couch and finally turned to look at him. "I have your pillow, still, the one you used to sleep with. I'll go grab it," she said, skirting the topic as she once again walked past him, this time headed for the stairs. She came back with his pillow and found that he was still standing in the same place. She placed it on the couch and then turned to face him again, waiting for something, although neither of them were exactly sure what.

After a few moments of silence the tension in the air became too much for Peyton to handle. She made to brush past him again so she could head up the stairs, to bed, but this time he reached out, grabbing her arm and forcing her to look up at him. She let out a sigh as he let go, when he was sure she wouldn't leave the room. "I don't know what you want me to say," she said softly, looking anywhere but into his eyes. She couldn't look into his eyes. That would be too hard. If she did she was sure she'd crack, and start asking him why he left. She didn't have much pride left, but she didn't plan on giving it up like that.

Lucas let out a sigh and ran his hands through his hair. "I want you to tell me what you're feeling. Do you really want me to stay? Should I just go? Give me something, Peyton, anything. I want to know what's going through your mind," he said desperately. With her avoiding his gaze he had absolutely no idea what she was thinking, and he just wanted some insight.

Peyton let out a humorless laugh. She could feel herself slowly cracking. "You want me to tell you I'm okay with this? I can't tell you that, Lucas, because that would be a lie. Unless you do want me to lie and tell you everything's fine when it's not, then I really have nothing to say. It's not okay, and I really wish I could tell you to leave, but those boys you just tucked in wouldn't understand. They would see me as the bad guy for making you go away and I can't handle that. Not again," she felt the tears welling up.

Lucas's eyes widened. She was worse than he had thought. Nathan had told him that Peyton wasn't emotionally stable right now, and he had been able to tell that over the phone, but he hadn't expected it to be that bad. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and comfort her. He hesitated for a moment before doing just that. He was relieved when Peyton didn't immediately push him away. That gave him hope.

Peyton wanted to shove him away, but she couldn't. She didn't have the strength to. She had been longing for the feeling of his arms around her for so long that she just couldn't reject it right now. He softly asked her what she was talking about. "For two weeks after you left, once I got back from L.A, the boys thought I was the one who forced you to move out. They would barely speak to me. Jason actually told me he hated me. My own son, Lucas, told me he hated me. Do you know how hard that was for me? There was nothing I could do about it, though, because you were gone. I didn't know where you had gone. You just disappeared. I couldn't contact you. I didn't know where you had gone either, until I saw that first article in the paper, about your book. I showed the boys and they eventaully began to accept that you were gone, and it wasn't my fault," she paused. "I wish I could have accepted that," she finally got the strength to push him away.

There were tears running down her cheeks and she wiped furiously at them, keeping her gaze off Lucas's still. Lucas began to apologize, but Peyton didn't want to hear it. "No, Luke, it's too late for that. Four months too late. Your children may forgive you, and accept you back in their lives, but I just can't, okay, I can't. I might be able to tolerate you because I have to, for them, but we can't just go back. I don't even know if I'll ever be able to be friends with you, and if I do get that point, that day will probably be a long time from now," she said before brushing past him.

Lucas wanted to follow her, but knwe better than to push Peyton when she didn't want to be pushed. At least she was allowing him to stay in the house, for now anyway. That was progress. At least, he hoped that was progress. If he pushed, though, he knew she would just end up moving backward instead of forward. So, instead of following his gut instinct, he slipped off his shoes and jeans, and pulled his short off, leaving him only in his boxers as he slid under the blanket on the couch.

Peyton walked into the boys bedroom and saw that they were already asleep. She smiled at the sight of them, looking so peaceful. Even though they both looked almost exactly like Lucas, she loved seeing them. Her boys were the best thing in her life and no matter what was going on with Lucas, they could always make her feel better.

She placed her hand over her stomach. She had been relieved that Lucas hadn't felt the bulge. As he had pulled her into his arms she had been so sure that he would notice and start yelling at her for lying to him. She knew she should have told him, but she hadn't been able to work up the courage. She vowed to tell him sometime soon. After her doctor's appointment, though. She had to make sure the baby was okay before she told him. She couldn't believe she had been so stupid. If anything happened to her baby girl she would never forgive herself.

At least, she hoped it was a girl. She would love the baby no matter what it was, of course, but Lucas already had two boys to teach basketball to. It would be nice if she had a little girl she could do girly things with. Not that Peyton liked to do girly things, but it would be nice to have the option. Besides, she knew Brooke was pulling for a girl, and Brooke would love the little girl to death. Brooke loved her boys, Peyton knew, but Brooke would relate to a little girl so much better.

Peyton gave both of her boys a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room, making sure the door was open a crack. She walked down the hallway and went into her own room, collapsing onto the bed. After a few minutes she sat up, looking across the room at her bookshelf. There was a shelf full of Lucas's first book, right smakc dab in the middle. She didn't want Lucas to know she had them. She didn't want anyone to know she had them. The truth was, she had secretly been purchasing a copy of his bok everytime she saw it in the store. She hadn't read it yet, though. Everytime she picked it up and opened the first page she put it down again. She didn't want to know what it said.

Peyton stood up and walked over to her bookshelf. She still had boxes in her room that she hadn't unpacked yet. She emptied one that had a bunch of her old stuff in it and started putting the books in it, stacking them neatly. When she had put every copy of his book that she owned into the box she closed it up, opting to not write on it. She slid the box on the floor over to her closet, because it was heavy, and then she lifted it up to put on her closet shelf. It was then that the pain started.

Lucas didn't know what to do. There were so many thoughts running through his mind that he couldn't fall asleep. He couldn't believe he was so close to Peyton. After all these months of wanting to hold her close and be near her, he was in the same house as her. If he wanted he could get up and walk upstairs and he could find her. He wondered if she was asleep. He just wanted to look at her. He didn't want to find her awake, though, so he stayed on the couch. He wondered if she was still sleeping in the same room.

He had just closed his eyes, trying to drift off to sleep, when he heard the thump. He jumped up off the couch, running up the stairs before he even thought about it. He checked the boys room first, and found them still sleeping soundly. When he pulled the door almost shut again he ran into the room she had been using. He didn't see anyone immediately, but when he stepped inside he saw her on the floor in her closet, blooks strewn all around her.

Peyton glanced up when she saw him, clutching her stomach in pain. She didn't even care that he was the one who had to save her. She just knew something was wrong and she had to get to the hospital before something happened to the baby. She used one hand to grab at his chest, hoping to feel a shirt, but his chest was bare. She quickly put her hand onto her stomach. "Lucas," she gasped out in pain. "I need to go to the hospital. I was drinking tonight," she manage to speak through the pain.

Lucas just stood there. He didn't get it. She hated the hospital. So why would she willingly ask to go, just because she had been drinking. He couldn't leave the children either. He started to explain this to her, and ask her why she wanted to go, but she cut him off. "I'm pregnant, you idiot. I think somethings going to happen to the baby if you don't get me to the hospital, now," she said angrily before clutching her stomach again, groaning in pain.

A/N: So, Lucas knows about the baby. Will he mad? The better question is: Will there even be a baby, or will her drinking combined with the fall have killed it? Hmm, I dunno, seing as no one gave me any ideas for names or the sex of the baby. I need reviews people. Please, please, please, I'm begging you, leave me good reviews. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Simple as that. I do not own One Tree Hill. 


	8. Chapter 8

Lucas stood there for a minute, unsure of how to react. Had she just told him she was pregnant? His first reaction was joy, then anger at the fact that she hadn't told him. His third reaction was horror as a thought occurred to him. Was the baby his? I mean, maybe she hadn't told him because the baby didn't belong to him. That thought horrified him, because as much as she hated him right now, he had hope for them as a couple. If she was having someone else's baby that hope just might disappear. "Is it mine?" he asked hesitantly.

Peyton had been bent in half, clutching her stomach in pain, but looked up at the question. The question hurt even more than the thought of losing the baby. If he couldn't trust her then there was never any hope for them to have a happy marriage in the first place. "I haven't been with anyone else, if that's what you're asking," she spat out, trying to cover the pain with anger.

Lucas saw the pain as soon as she looked up at him, and had regretted the question. He saw the pain in those green eyes. Not just the physical pain, from her stomach. He knew that question had hurt her more than anything else he could have done. "I know you'd never cheat on me, Peyton, I'm sorry," he said, sincerely meaning it. She couldn't speak as the pain increased momentarily and Lucas picked her up, ready to carry her to the car.

He had made it to the living room when he stopped. There were two problems. The first being that they couldn't leave the children alone. The other problem was that he was only wearing boxers. He set her gently onto the couch and then grabbed his pants. "What about Jason and Aiden? We can't just leave them," he said when she looked over at him.

Realization washed over her face, quickly to be replaced by pain again. She knew that they should wait for someone to get Jason and Aiden, or at least take them to the hospital with them, but they had school tomorrow and she didn't want them up all night. She also knew that she had to go now. It wouldn't wait. Something had to be done or she would lose the baby. She wasn't sure how she knew that, but she was sure of it. "Call Brooke or Haley, get one of them to hurry over here. Right now, though, we have to get to the hospital, or we won't have a third child," she said.

Lucas pulled on his shirt as he listened to her words. He nodded, pulling out his phone. He dialed Brooke first, because he knew her house was closer than the motel. He shoved his feet into his shoes without socks and grabbed Peyton's arm, pulling her to her feet as he threw her arm over his shoulders before wrapping his arm around her middle, holding her close to him. "Hello," Brooke answered her phone groggily. "Broody, this had better be good, or I might just have to kill you," she mumbled through a yawn.

Peyton opened the door for Lucas and he led her outside. "Yeah, Cheery, this is pretty important. Peyton's having some stomach pains and she thinks she's about to lose the baby. So thanks for telling me about that, by the way," he couldn't help but add that last comment bitterly. He knew Brooke had know, Peyton told Brooke everything. He was reasonably sure that Haley and his brother knew as well. He looked over at Peyton. "Does she have a key?" he asked softly.

Peyton shook her head, but managed to mutter, "Spare key," pointing to the flower bed in front of the porch. Lucas nodded his understanding just as Brooke replied, sounding a low more alert. "Wait, new baby Sawyer-Scott is in trouble," she groaned. "I knew I shouldn't have let her drink. I wasn't even thinking about the baby. Lucas I'm sorry," she sounded close to tears. "What can I do?" she asked.

Lucas helped Peyton walk to the car, and then helped her into it. "Just come by the house, and watch the boys. I have to get her to the hospital right now, and there's no one with the boys. Call Haley if you can. Peyton says you know where the spare key is," Brooke answered in the affirmative as Lucas got in behind the wheel. "All right then, I'll call you when we know something," he paused. "And Brooke, don't beat yourself up over this," he said before hanging up, breaking nearly every law as he dove to the hospital.

He carried Peyton into the ER when they got there, and Peyton's yelps of pain helped her get a room faster. Once they wheeled Peyton away on a stretcher, though, Lucas had no clue what to do. He wasn't allowed back there until they figured out what was wrong and how to fix it. He paced the waiting room for a few minutes before collapsing into a chair, his head in his hands.

He didn't know what to think, or what to do. It was amazing that Peyton was pregnant again. It might be the one thing that could bring them back together. On the other hand, if she lost the baby, it might send her over the edge, and Lucas wasn't sure she would let him back in to fix her. He was mad at her for drinking, and possibly causing damage to their child. On some other level though, he partially blamed himself. If he hadn't hurt her so badly, she would never have been pushed that far over the edge.

Right now all he could focus on was making sure that she was okay. The rest could be dealt with later. All the lying and decpetion and pain could be put right, eventually, but only after she was okay, and their baby was okay. He just wished the doctor would come out and tell him that everything would be all right. He looked up when he heard his name and saw Haley rushing towards him, Nathan hot on her heels.

Lucas stood to meet them and Haley crushed him in a hug. "Tell me she's okay. Tell me the baby's okay. Just tell me anything," Haley said, crying into his shoulder as she hugged him. He knew Haley was trying to stay strong on the outside, but on the inside she was falling apart. It was her best friend in the hospital, after all. He knew Haley would be another one who would never forgive herself if something happened to Peyton or the baby.

When Haley finally let go, Lucas just shrugged. "The doctors haven't told me what was wrong yet," he said, sounding distraught. The more time that passed, the more worried he got. There was nothing for them to do but sit, waiting for a doctor to come out. Brooke called often, always looking for news, but they had nothing to tell her. They had been sitting in the waiting room for hours and Haley was dozing on Nathan's shoulder, while he had his arm wrapped around her. Lucas had his head in his hands, silent tears slipping down his cheeks every now and then as he waited. "Is anyone here for Peyton Sawyer?" the words rang through the waiting room.

Haley's eyes sprang open and she quickly stood. Lucas was quicker and was standing in front of the doctor before the other two had gotten to their feet. "Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" he asked, swallowing hard past the lump in his throat as he waited for the doctors answers. An instant later Haley was at his side, Nathan behind her, and the three of them waited in impatient silence for the doctor's words.

The doctor quickly picked up on the worry coming from the three people. She could tell they all cared deeply about Peyton and she could also tell that the blonde one was romantically involved with Peyton. She could see his love for Peyton shining in his eyes, along with the worry, and even some pain. She didn't keep the three adults in suspense any longer. "Peyton is fine. The baby is okay, too. The alcohol, combined with stress just put some strain on the baby, that's all," she said and all three sighed with relief.

Lucas was extremely relieved that Peyton and the baby were okay. A smile instantly broke out on his face. He looked over to see Haley looking just as relieved. He glanced back at the doctor, and could tell that wasn't all. "However," the doctor continued, "the stress did have some permanent effects. Any more stress like that and the baby just might not make it," she said.

Just like that, the relieved smiles vanished from all three faces and they shared a worried look. Nathan took Haley's hand, squeezing it, trying to give her some comfort. The doctor answer the question that was dancing on all three tongues before anyone had a chance to ask it. "I'm putting Peyton on bed rest for the remaining time of the pregnancy. I don't want her doing any heavy lifting and I don't want her to be stressed out. So I'd like someone to be with her at all times, taking care of her. I know she has her label, but I'd prefer if she worked from home mostly. She can occassionally go out, for a couple of hours, but I don't want her on her feet for longer than that, and no unnecessary strain," she said.

Lucas nodded, looking to Haley, wondering who would be the one to stay with Peyton at all times. Haley would be going back to L.A. soon, unless Nathan did get drafted to Charlotte, and even then she had to work her own job. Brooke also had her company, which took up a lot of time. The obvious answer was Lucas, but he didn't know his presence around her all the time would cause unnecessary stress. He sighed; they would have to figure it out later. "Can we see her?" he asked.

The doctor nodded. "She's sleeping right now, but she should wake up soon. I'll show you to her room. When she does wake up I'll need to go over some things with her before I let her go. She should be able to leave today though. Oh yeah, if she has anymore pain I want you to bring her straight here. It was good that your reacted so fast in taking her to the hospital tonight. If you had waited any longer the baby would probably have been lost," she said as she led the trio to Peyton's room.

The doctor repeated that she would come back in a little bit to check on Peyton and then left them at the door to Peyton's room. Lucas glanced at the two of them. Haley immediately got the message, but she was reluctant to follow it. Lucas sent her another pleading look and with a sigh she nodded, taking Nathan's hand and pulling him back in the other direction. "Come on, Nate, let's go call Brooke and fill her in," she paused before glancing back over her shoulder. "You have until I get back, Lucas. She's my best friend," she said sternly.

Lucas accepted that and, after letting out a deep breath, he entered the room, mentally bracing himself for the sight of her. She was lying in the bed, and she looked so peaceful, like she was just asleep. The machines took away from that peaceful image, though. He walked over to her and reached out, softly touching her cheek, before bringing his hand down and lightly placing it on her stomach, on his child. He leaned down and kissed it lightly through the hospital gown, and the blanket that was covering her lower half. Then he stepped up and placed a light kiss on her forehead, brushing her curls out of the way.

Peyton felt it and her eyelids flickered as she started to come to. "Lucas," his name came out of her lips as a light moan as she fought to wake up. Lucas found her hand and grasped it, waited for her to open her eyes so he could see into those green orbs he knew so well. After stuggling a few more seconds to come out of the sleep, her eyes blinked open, finding his blue ones. "Is the baby okay?" that was her first conscious thought as she recognized where she was.

Lucas smiled and nodded, placing a hand on her arm as she tried to sit up. "Yes, our child is fine. You just have too much stress and that, combined with the alcohol was too much strain. Your doctor is putting you on bed rest for the rest of the pregnancy. You can spend no more than a few hours at a time on your feet and try to stay away from stressful situations," he imformed her, trying to keep his tone light. "That was stupid, you know, drinking," he was unable to keep the admonishment inside, because of the anger.

Peyton averted her gaze, but she nodded. "I know, and you have every right to be mad at me. I'm mad at me. I just," she paused, searching for the words that could explain what she had been feeling. "I don't even know what to say. There is nothing to say. I can't explain my actions. There is no explanation good enough, for anything I've done recently," she spoke at a low whisper, but he heard her words perfectly. Even more, he saw the tear slip down her cheek and knew the anguish she was feeling.

Lucas reached up, gently wiping the tear away before turning her face so he could look into her eyes. His anger with her vanishing as he saw her pain and fear. "Hey, it's okay. It's going to be okay. I'm just going to have to keep my eye on you now, so you don't do anything to harm this little one," he said, using the hand that had been holding hers and placing it on her stomach, atop of her hand, which she had put there without even realizing it.

Peyton's gaze snapped up to meet his. If she had to be kept under watch, she knew he would be the one to step up and take care of things, which was the way it really should be, but that would also mean he had to move in. She didn't know if she could handle that. She would just have to manage, though, she supposed. As long as they came to a truce, and knew they would just be friends, then she could handle it. "Fine, you can move in," she said, and he was shocked that she had given in so easily. "On one condition," she paused, and he realized he should have expected that. "We're just friends. Right now I can't handle the thought of reconsiliation. I need us to just be friends for now," she said.

Lucas paused, trying to figure out how he felt about that. Finally he nodded. It was a small price to pay for being able to move in with her, and be close to her and their kids. Besides, he knew they would be together again one day. It was only a matter of time. "It's a deal," he said firmly. Before either of them got a chance to say anything else, Haley burst into the room, Nathan behind her.

Haley pushed Lucas out of the way as she came up to Peyton's bedside, Nathan right next to her. Lucas decided to allow it and walked to the other side of the bed as Haley hugged Peyton tightly. "You are so so so stupid, Peyton, and if you ever do that to me again I'll kill you," Haley mumbled as she held Peyton tightly. Peyton closed her eyes against the pain of Haley crushing her, but knew better than to say anything.

Nathan tapped on his wife's shoulder, trying to pull her off Peyton. "Haley, you're going to kill her now if you don't let go," he said, his tone forcibly light. Haley straightened and turned to glare at her husband. Nathan ignored the glare and looked at Peyton. "How you doing, Sawyer?" he asked, and through his facade, she could see that he had also been worried about her.

Peyton smirked knowingly. "I'm fine, guys. I'll be fine," she said, before she glanced at Lucas. She knew that with Lucas in her house again it would be hard to resist getting back together with him, especially if he was really serious about wanting to get her back, as he had said on the phone. She wasn't sure, though, that it would be a bad thing if they eventually got back together. She would just have to wait and see how things played out. All she knew was, with Lucas out of her life completely, she was a wreck, and she didn't want to be a wreck anymore.

A/N: Okay, so Lucas has to move in with Peyton. This is going to get interesting, I promise you that now. I'm not even sure how it's all going to play out yet. I just know that Leyton will be together eventually. They are true love and there's no better couple than them. Anyway, review please. I was very happy with the response I got from the last chapter. Keep it up, guys. Oh, and I just want to add that I changed the title to this fic. I never actually like the title when I chose it, but I had to come up with something to post it. I like this title much better.

Disclaimer: I wish I owned it, but all I own are my ideas. 


	9. Chapter 9

Peyton pulled Haley into a hug, holding tightly onto her best friend. "You better call me more often," she said as she pulled away. "Knowing these two," she gestured to Brooke and Lucas, "they'll never let me out of the house, so I've got to have some contact with the outside world," she threw them a teasing glance before looking seriously at Haley.

They were all at the airport, seeing Haley and Nathan off. Haley smiled at her best friend. She knew that Peyton was only complaining about Lucas and Brooke so she wouldn't have to say that she would miss Haley. That was just how Peyton was. She also knew that no matter how much she would complain, she would like having Lucas with her. Haley could tell that her best friend was already happier. "I promise to call more often. And, hey, if it all works out right, I might just be back in a few days," she said, just as the final boarding call was announced for their flight.

Haley and Nathan said their last goodbyes before getting on the plane. Peyton was leaning on Brooke, who had her arm draped over Peyton's shoulders. Aiden and Jason were their as well, and were standing in front of their mother. Lucas was looking at Peyton and Brooke, wishing that he could be the one to comfort Peyton.

Brooke waited until the plane had taken off before turning, pulling Peyton along with her. "Come on guys," she said to the boys. "We need to get this one off of her feet," she gestured to Peyton as the five of them made their way out of the airport. Peyton made an annoyed noise, but didn't react in any other way, except to roll her eyes.

When they made it back to the apartment, Peyton went up to her office. They had dropped the boys off at school, and Brooke off at her own house, so it was Lucas and Peyton alone in the house. Instead of following her, he went into the kitchen to make some lunch. Peyton got out her sketch pad and started to draw, but then a thought came to her mind. She realized she had never picked up those books that littered the bottom of her closet.

Peyton got up and quickly made her way to her room. She saw the books in the bottom of her closet, just where she had known they would be, and was almost relieved. She was pretty sure he hadn't been in her closet, but she was glad to know that he hadn't seen the books. She grabbed the box that they had been in and carefully put the back into it. Then, since she couldn't lift it, she pushed it into the corner of her closet.

Peyton followed her nose when she finished, as she realized how hungry she was. Lucas was at the stove, standing over a pot of his spicy chili. Peyton scrunched her nose at it. When she had been pregnant with the boys she had eaten pretty much nothing but spicy foods. This baby seemed to want mellow things only. That was one reason Peyton was reasonably sure it was a girl. "Baby girl doesn't like the smell of that," she said when Lucas caught sight of her face and had shot her an offended look.

Lucas smiled as he saw her hand placed comfortingly on her stomach. He walked away from the pot for a minute, squatting down in front of Peyton's stomach. "Hey, baby, you like Daddy's chili, don't you?" he asked it. Then his mind really processed what Peyton had said, and he looked up at her. "What makes you say it's a girl?" he asked. As far as he knew, the doctors weren't able to tell yet.

Peyton smirked down at Lucas. "Well, my cravings are completely different. Also, she doesn't kick as much," she shrugged. "A lot of things about this pregnancy have been different than the first," she stated before walking around him, making her way to the refrigerator. She opened it, looking inside, but saw nothing she wanted. "What is it you want, baby girl?" she mumbled as she looked at the food.

Lucas walked back to the stove, stirring his chili, which was about done. He turned off the stove, and moved the pot off of the burner before turning to look at Peyton. "You're just saying that because you want a girl," he paused, thinking about it. "You know, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a little girl who looked just like you running around here," he added reflectively.

Peyton shook her head. "Nope, she's going to have my curls, but other than that she'll look just like you, with your eyes and nose. She'll be strong-willed, like me, and she'll love to draw and read. She won't be able to live without music, either," she paused, "The good kind of music," she added. Peyton was physically in the room, but her mind had left as she mentally pictured her little girl. "She'll be able to cook, though, unlike me," she finished.

Lucas stepped closer to Peyton. It was almost as if they had never broken up, and they hadn't spent the last four months apart. At least, maybe he wished it was. It was nice seeing her put so much thought into their child, though. It showed him she still cared, and he still had a chance. He reached up, gently brushing a lock of hair out of her face. "Why'd you straighten your hair, anyway? I miss your curls," he said softly.

The contact brought her mind back to the present. She looked up into those blue eyes that had never left her mind, or her heart. The lack of distance between them was making her breath quicken and she wanted to step away, but her legs didn't seem to be listening to her anymore. She shrugged in answer to his question. "I just wanted to try something different, I guess," she said softly, as she realized his lips were slowly getting closer to hers.

Lucas leaned down, lightly brushing his lips against Peytons. Peyton's eyes fluttered closed at the contact. It had been entirely too long since her lips had touched Lucas Scotts. She forced herself to pull back and step away, though. She wasn't ready for this. She couldn't be ready for this. How did she know he wouldn't just leave again if things didn't go his way? The thing was, she didn't know what would happen in the future, and, despite that, she still wanted to throw herself right back into his arms.

Peyton was thankful when the doorbell rang, because it gave her something to do to avoid the awkwardness. She turned and maintained a slow, but steady pace as she walked to the front door. When Peyton opened the door, she saw a woman, a little taller than herself, with raven-colored hair, and eyes a deep, dark blue. If Peyton had to guess, she would say the woman was a year or two younger than them. She had the fashion sense that was a combination of Brooke's and Peyton's styles. Peyton raised her eyebrow at the woman as she leaned against the door.

Before she could say anything, the strange woman spoke up. "You must be Peyton. I've heard so much about you. You are even more gorgeous than I expected," she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement. She definately had a personality more like Brookes than Peytons. Peyton continued to look at the woman, letting her know that she had no idea who she was. The woman picked up on this. "Lucas never told you about me? I'm Keirah, I edited his book. Let me just say, I was always pulling for the Peyton and Lucas in the book," she said.

Before Peyton could reply, Keirah spotted Lucas approaching. She pushed past Peyton and ran into Lucas's arms. Lucas, aparantly shocked, wrapped his arms around her nonetheless. Peyton just stood, still in the doorway, her arms crossed as she waited for some explanation for why Keirah was here. Lucas set her down, ignoring the young woman for a moment as he regarded Peyton. She shook her head before he could speak, her anger getting the better of her. "I'm going out," she muttered the tree words before grabbing her keys from the hook next to the door.

Lucas watched Peyton leave the house and he wanted to follow her, but he was stopped as Keirah snapped her fingers in front of his face, trying to get his attention. He looked over here. "What are you doing here?" he asked, not meaning to sound harsh, but he couldn't help it. Keirah had the worst timing in the world, and he was worried she had just ruined the process he had been making with Peyton just minutes earlier.

Keirah took a step back, holding her hands up in surrender. "I was sent out here to see why our favorite new author quit his book tour. My boss was angry at me, so it's my job to get some answers from you. Why are you back here with Peyton, when you should be living your dream?" she asked, her blue eyes studying his. She reached out and touched his arm. She had really started to care about him while they had been working on his book, and then touring together.

Lucas sighed and gave her a proper hug. It wasn't her fault the timing was off. Truth be told, he had missed her, too. They had grown close during the tour. She was the one he talked about all his problems with. He walked into the living room without answering her question. There were pictures on almost every surface in the room, picutes of Aiden and Jason, pictures of Peyton with the boys, pictures of Haley and Nathan and Brooke as well. There was only one picture that Peyton had left up that had Lucas in it. He walked over to it, pointing at it, so Keirah would look at it.

Keirah stepped closer to the picture. It was of the four of them, Lucas, Peyton and the boys. Peyton was laying on the grass and Lucas was on his knees next to her, tickling her. Aiden was on his fathers back and Jason was on Peyton's other side, tickling her as well. All four of them looked so carefree and happy. Lucas smiled as he remembered the day.

Lucas, Peyton, Brooke and Rachel had taken the kids to the park. Aiden and Jason had been about four at that time. The four adults had been just sitting on the grass while the boys played on the playground. Peyton had made a playful, teasing comment towards Lucas, and Lucas had asked her to take it back. She hadn't, and Lucas had started tickling her. She tried to get away, but Lucas knew just where her most ticklish spot was.

The boys had run over when they heard their mom's shreiking laughter. Aiden had jumped onto Lucas's back, trying to defend his mother, while Jason had taken Lucas's side, and had began tickling her too. Brooke had been watching, amused, but the family looked so happy, she had decided to take out her camera and get a picture.

After Brooke had taken the picture, Aiden had looked up at her, and asked her to help his mommy. His look had been so precious that she had joined the scuffle, jumping in and tickling Lucas in the one spot he was ticklish, the back of his neck. Rachel had jumped into the scuffle also, taking Jason and Lucas's side. She grabbed Aiden from off of his father's back, laying him on the grass and pulling his shirt up, blowing raspberries on his stomach. With Lucas's attention taken by Brooke, she sat up, grabbing Jason around the middle and pulling him into her lap before tickling his middle.

The tickle fight had lasted a while before a truce was finally called. The adults let the kids play until they had come back, saying that they wanted ice cream. Peyton had started to protest, but two four year olds and three adults had all thrown her pleading looks, so she conceeded. It was late by the time they got home, and the boys had been completely worn out by the day, but it had been a fun day, and Lucas had thought about it often while he was on his tour. He wondered if Peyton still thought about it.

Keirah placed a hand on his arm, bringing him back to the present. Lucas looked over at her and her eyes studied his as she waited for an answer. Lucas took a deep breath, trying to figure out the words to explain it. "That's my family," he gestured to the picture. "There's another on the way. The joy I feel when I'm with them is better than any pride I felt on that book tour. It took me longer than it should have, but I finally realized that this is where I need to be," he said, before turning and heading for the kitchen.

Keirah followed him and sat on a barstool by the counter as he took out the stuff he needed to make a lighter meal. She knew him well enough to know that there would be no changing his mind on this. She wasn't sure how she would explain it to her boss, but if that was his decision she was going to be right there, supporting it. "So, what are you going to do?" she asked.

Lucas shrugged, still unsure of that himself. "I guess for now I'm just going to show her that I'm here to stay, and I'm not going to leave her again. I know one day she'll realize that, and she'll realize that we're meant to be. I don't care how long it takes. I'll wait for her forever," he said confidently as he took the measuring cup over to the sink, measuring out some water.

Keirah thought for a minute, then reached up to pull her hair out of her face and into a pony tail. "That's just plain stupid," she said, earning a glance from Lucas. "If Peyton in real life is anything like the one from the book, then you know as well as I do that you'll have to do something to get her back. If you just stand by and let her take care of things she'll just keep running. You've got to come up with a plan. Fortunately, I am here to help you with that," she said, a plan already forming in her mind.

Lucas did not like the look he saw in Keirah's eyes one bit. It meant she was coming up with one of her plans. He had seen it a lot since he had started working with her, and it didn't always end good. He also knew, though, that nothing he could say at this point would sway her. He would just have to sit back and go along for the ride. He only hoped it didn't take him further away from Peyton.

A/N: Okay, here's the next chapter. There was an almost Leyton moment. That's the best that's going to happen, for now anyway. In case you're wondering why Peyton got so mad, so fast, she's pregnant, remember. Pregnant women have mood swings. So, anyway, leave a review, good or bad I want to hear what you think. Thanks to everyone who's reading my fic, and all the reviews you have left so far. Oh, as a side note, did anyone catch the new epidode last night? I just loved the Leyton in it. And Jamie was cute, too.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. If I did, the show wouldn't be as good as it is. And there would not have been a Lucas and Lindsey. But, I don't own it, so no use crying over spilt milk. 


	10. Chapter 10

When Peyton got into her car she realzied there was no where she could go. She didn't want to go back inside though. So she started driving. She knew Brooke was in a meeting, so she couldn't go there. Haley was already gone. It was way too early to pick up the boys, so she drove to the Cafe. She pulled into the parking lot and was about to get out of the car when her phone started ringing. She saw it was Lucas and turned it off, tossing into the front seat before getting out of the car.

Peyton was still somewhat mad at Lucas, although she didn't know why. She knew there was no reason to be. She decided to blame the pregnancy hormones. Either way, she just wanted to be away from him for a bit. She needed someone to talk to, and decided that Karen would be that person, because she hadn't really talked to Karen the whole time Nathan and Haley were in town.

She walked into the Cafe and sat on a barstool next to the counter. Karen was taking a customers order, but gestured to Peyton that she would be right there. Peyton nodded and waited for the older woman to come talk. When Karen came over, Peyton had her head in her hands and she could no longer stop the tears that had been threatening to fall for ages. Karen placed her hand on Peyton's arm, unsure of what was wrong. "Peyton, dear, what's going on? Did something happen to the boys?" she asked, immediately thinking the worst.

Peyton lifted her head up, wiping at her tears and managing a soft laugh. "No, oh, no Karen, it's nothing like that. I'm sorry, you must be thinking of some pretty bad things right now. Nothing's wrong, really, it's these stupid pregnancy hormones," she muttered, wiping furiously at her eyes even as the tears continued to fall. "I'm sorry," she repeated.

Karen leaned over and gave Peyton a hug. "It's not your fault, and I'm sure it must be something if you're crying about it. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but maybe you'll feel better if you talk about it," she said soothingly, her hand rubbing circles on Peyton's back as she pulled out of the hug. Peyton gave up the effort of mopping her tears, and tried to wipe her nose.

She snuffled as she tried to think of a way to explain it. "It's just, I know I'm being ridiculous. I don't even have a reason to cry. Damn hormones," she repeated. She paused a minute, clearing her throat before continuing. "Well, you might as well hear it from me. Lucas is living in the house," she started, because she really hadn't talked to Karen since Nathan and Haley arrived.

Karen raised her eyebrow, but waited for Peyton to continue. "We're not back together," Peyton quickly clarified, guessing the older woman's thoughts. "That is kind of the reason I'm crying though, although I'm not really sure if it's because we're not together, or I know we probably won't be, despite what he says," after Peyton finished talking, Karen gave her a confused look. "I guess I should start at the beginning."

Karen nodded, taking the seat next to Peyton. Peyton sniffled again before she could find her voice. "Well, I never actually told anyone this, but, I went to see him, right after he left. You know that trip I made to Chicago?" Karen nodded, waiting for Peyton to continue. "Well, his book tour was stopped there at the same time as my trip. I got curious and decided to stop by his book signing, see if he was doing well, that sort of thing. That probably wasn't the best idea, going without talking to him first," she paused as more tears fell down her cheeks.

Karen was waiting for the reason of the tears, watching Peyton carefully. She had no idea that Peyton had gone to see Lucas while he was on his tour, and she doubted anyone else knew either. "Well, the reason I came back feeling so down and I didn't tell anyone is because," she paused. "I saw him kiss another woman," she said finally, and a fresh wave of tears rolled over her, causing her to bury her face in her hands.

Karen gasped; she couldn't believe that Lucas would do something like that. Sure, she knew Peyton had broken his heart, but to kiss another woman, right after he had proposed to Peyton? Lucas just didn't seem like that kind of person. Karen looked over at Peyton curiously. Maybe Peyton hadn't really seen what she thought she had seen. "What kind of kiss was it?" she asked cautiously, not wanting to set off Peyton's anger.

Peyton sniffled and looked up at Karen. She had a hesitant look on her face. "Well, I mean, the kiss was only on the cheek, and I looked into it and found out the woman was his editor. I tried to put it out of my mind. I told myself that they were just excited over the big crowd that had arrived for the signing, and she kissed him, and he allowed her, because he was caught up in the excitement," she admitted, but then her resolve firmed. "Today, though, she showed up at my house, and then jumped all over him when she saw him," she finished, the tears slowing down as she began to get angry again.

Karen hesitated, not wanting to say what she really thought and risk getting Peyton angrier. She knew the stress couldn't be good for the baby. "Have you asked him if he's with his editor? What if she just came to see how he's doing, and why he gave up the tour?" she asked cautiously, watching Peyton for any signs that she was going too far.

Peyton bit her lip, once again burying her face in her hands. "No, because what if he really isn't? I'd feel horrible if I accused him of something like that and I was wrong. Or even if I was right. I'd rather be right and not know. It'll hurt too much if I'm right. I'd rather wait and see, and not ask. He's already told me he wants me back, and I was almost ready to go back to him. Until his editor came over. Now I don't know if I can trust him," she spoke miserably. "If they are together, they better not do anything in my house. He has to live with me for the time being, but I did not sign up for that," she groaned.

Karen had gone back to rubbing Peyton's back again, but she stopped short at the last thing Peyton said. "Wait, what do you mean, he has to live with you?" she asked, genuinely confused. Peyton sat back up again and explained everything that had happened over the week to Karen. "If you have doctor's orders not to be out of the house for more than a couple hours at a time, and you already took Haley and Nathan to the airport today, then what are you doing here? Why aren't you at home, resting?" Karen's voice took on a motherly tone when Peyton finished the story.

Peyton winced at the reality of Karen's words. "I figured since I'm not technically on my feet right now, I'm not really breaking doctors orders. Besides, I really had to get out of there before I did something I would have regretted," she said with a sigh. She got up off the barstool, grabbing her purse. "I guess I should get home, though. I really need to rest, and I'm just about talked out. Besides, I better let you get back to work," she said, giving Karen a hug. "Thank you," she whispered before breaking the hug and leaving the Cafe.

Peyton sat in her car for a moment before before starting it. She didn't want to go home and find him with Keirah, but she was also afraid to go home and face him. She knew he would force her to talk about their almost moment if Keirah wasn't there. She laid her head on the steering wheel, trying to calm herself so he wouldn't realize she had been crying.

When she had her emotions under control, she started the car and drove home. When she entered the house, she headed straight for her room, hoping to avoid Lucas, but feminine laughter came from the kitchen and then Keirah popped her head into the living room, just as Peyton reached the stairs. "Peyton, I've been wondering where you got to. Lucas told me you weren't allowed to be out. He's been worried sick about you. Where've you been?" she asked.

Peyton paused and closed her eyes briefly before turning to face Keirah, reopening her eyes as she did. "Don't. Just don't, okay. Don't pretend you know me, or that you have some kind of say in what I do. If I wanna leave I'll damn well do as I please, and neither you, nor Lucas can stop me," the anger in Peyton's voice shocked both Keirah and Peyton. "Don't try to be my friend either, because just because Lucas supposedly wrote his book about me, and you edited it, doesn't mean we have some kind of connection. I have enough friends," she spat out before turning and heading upstairs, slamming her bedroom door and locking it before climbing into bed.

Lucas heard the door slam and walked into the living room. He noticed Keirah sitting on the couch, her head in her hands, and glanced to the stairs, wanting to go comfort Peyton before making his decision. He walked over and sat on the couch and sat down next to Keirah, rubbing circles on her back. He knew if he went upstairs right now, Peyton would probably end up biting his head off. "What happened?" he asked softly.

Keirah lifted her head, looking at him skeptically. She didn't reply for a moment. "This is going to be harder than I thought," she finally said, standing and walking towards the door. She took a deep breath, shaking her head when Lucas stood also, looking concerned for her. "Just, wait a bit for her to cool down, take her some lunch, and try to comfort her. She's the one who needs to get rid of stress. I'll be fine," she said before backing out of the house, closing the front door behind herself.

Lucas stood still for a minute, torn, before turning and walking into the kitchen. He waited twenty minutes, made Peyton a plate, and then took it upstairs to her. He knocked cautiously on her bedroom door. A few seconds later the lock clicked, but the door stayed firmly shut. Lucas eased open the door and instantly saw Peyton sitting on her bed, her arms wrapped around her stomach and her knees pulled into her chest, her sketchbook on the bed next to her. "What do you want, Lucas?" she asked tiredly, not raising her gaze to meet his.

Lucas stepped into the room, holding the tray out as a peace offering. "I just brought you some lunch," he said, causing her to look up. She wrinkled her nose at the tray. "I make you chili and you don't want anything spicy. So I make you macaroni and cheese, which, by the way, is practically the only thing left in your kitchen, and you don't want that either," he set the tray down, crossing the room. "What do you want from me?" he asked, his tone pleading, yet, from the look in his eyes, she could tell he was just trying to get her to open up.

Peyton took her gaze away from his, looking at the bedspread. "Thanks for lunch, but I really don't feel like eating right now. Actually I think I'm just going to lay down. Is it okay if you go get the boys without me?" she asked, her voice soft. Peyton had originally wanted to go with him, but now she wanted to avoid him at all costs. She knew he wouldn't let her go on her own, not after she had run out of the house earlier, so she settled for not going at all.

Lucas studied her for a moment. He placed a kiss on her forehead before getting up and heading for the door. When he reached the door he paused, turning to look back at her. "I'll always love you, Peyton," he said softly before turning and leaving the room. As the door clicked shut, Peyton didn't move, but a single tear slipped down her cheek.

Peyton stayed seated for a minute before laying down on her bed, keeping her arms around her stomach and her knees pulled up close to her chest. She wished she could feel the baby kick. That would have given her some hope that things would turn out okay. She stayed on her bed, curled up in a ball, waiting for sleep to come, but it never did.

After a while she decided that she couldn't just lie in bed for the next few months, until she had the baby. She had a life to live, and she had to keep living it, regardless of Lucas and his editor/possible girlfriend. She got up and ate the food Lucas had left on her dresser before leaving her room. She noticed that Lucas had already left to pick up the boys, so she did a little housework, being careful not to do any heavy lifting.

Truth be told, Peyton was more worried about this baby than she let on. Besides the fact that she was overly-stressed, she was worried about the babies size. She barely had a bump. If a person didn't know she was pregnant, they'd never be able to tell by her size. She knew the last time she had been having twins, but it was definately noticable by the fifth month. She pushed all her worries aside, telling herself that the baby would be perfectly fine, as long as she didn't stress about it.

When the boys came in, she suggested that they go swimming. Jason and Aiden instantly agreed and ran up to their room to put their swim trunks on. Peyton smiled and watched them before heading upstairs to put her bikini on. After she was changed and heading downstairs, she rant into Lucas on the stairs. She hesitated, biting her lip for a moment before speaking. "In the dresser on the left side of my bed are some of your things. There should be some swim trunks in there somewhere if you want to join us," she said, not giving him a chance to speak before rushing downstairs because Jason and Aiden were already making their way outside.

Lucas's eyes followed her figure as she walked away. He had been planning on going upstairs to talk to her, but the sight of her in that bikini had made him speechless. He really couldn't tell she was pregnant. If she hadn't had to go to the hospital the night he arrived, he was sure that he still wouldn't know that she was pregnant. After she disappeared from his sight he snapped out of his thoughts and continued up the stairs, surprised that she had kept any of his stuff.

After making it outside Peyton got in the pool with her boys. She had invited Lucas for them, and she thought it would do her some good to spend some time with him when he couldn't ask her about any of the hard subjects. She still had clothes of his in a dresser because the room had come with two dressers and because of the walk-in closet, she only needed one of the dressers. So she had put his clothes in the other one.

Peyton was splashing around in the pool with her boys when Lucas came outside. She glanced up, and the sight of him without a shirt on made her breath catch in her throat. She wanted nothing more than to be wrapped up in those arms, hugged against his chest. "Come in, Daddy!" Aiden called, bringing Peyton out of her thoughts.

When Lucas jumped into the pool, he splashed Peyton and the boys, causing Peyton to splash back which led into a war where they splashed back and forth for a while, laughing the whole time. They spent hours in the pool, playing with the boys, just swimming. It was almost like they were a family again. They let all the tension from the past months slip away and it reminded them both of the times they had spent together before he had left. There was one difference, however. They didn't steal kisses, or share secret touches while the boys were looking they other way, like they used to. They shared looks, though, sometimes without Peyton even realizing what was happening.

When it was dark, Peyton got the boys dried off, and started getting them ready for bed. She changed into an oversized tee-shirt and an old pair of cheer shorts that she wore to sleep in and made her way back into their room, to find them in bed, already in their pjs. "You want me to read you a story?" she asked, standing at their bookshelf. They both requested a book, and, luckily, tonight, it was the same one. She grabbed it then made her way to Jason's bed, calling Aiden over.

When she closed the book, she looked down at them. Before she could say anything, she noticed Jason's big blue Scott eyes looking up at her. "Mama, are you and Daddy getting back together?" he asked, his eyes wide and full of innocence. Peyton knew he didn't comprehend the full reality of the question. She wasn't quite sure how to answer, but both boys were now looking up at her, waiting for her to say something.

Peyton cleared her throat, searching an answer that she didn't have, but it was answer that she also wanted. "Guys, I just want you to know that, no matter what happens, everything will be okay. Your dad and I will always be here, for you guys and for this baby, and we'll love you forever. So, whether your dad and I are together, or apart, we'll be here for you, and it'll turn out okay," she repeated firmly, placing a light kiss on each of their foreheads.

Aiden nodded, looking down at her stomach. Aiden placed a small hand onto her stomach before leaning down to place his ear on it. "The baby knows that, too, Mama," he said looking back up at her. Peyton smiled down at his five-year-old innocence. Aiden nodded again. "I think it'll be a girl," he declared suddenly. Peyton cocked her head to the side and Aiden continued, answering her unasked question. "I would like a little sister more than a little brother. She'd be easier to protect. Besides, Daddy says your cravings are different than before," he said.

Peyton chuckled, trying to hold back her laugh. Seeing the bewildered looks on her childrens faces, though, she couldn't help but throwing her head back and laughing. "It's time for bed, munchkins," she said, taking the book and getting off of the bed. She helped Aiden into his bed, then gave them each a kiss on the forehead, saying goodnight one last time. She replaced the book on the bookshelf and turned to look at them again. "I'll have your dad come in here to say goodnight," she said before turning to go.

She had made it to the door before she heard a voice calling out to her. "Mama," Jason called. She stopped in the doorway and turned to look at him. "Is Daddy really moving back in with us?" he asked. Peyton paused, unsure of what to say. She could tell that for all intents and purposes, she should just nod, so she did. "Well, if he's going to be staying here, I, um, guess Aiden and I want separate rooms," he glanced at his brother before looking back at his mom. "You said whenever we wanted we could change rooms," he added.

Peyton paused for a moment before nodded. "Yeah, sure, if you really want to change rooms, it's okay. Can you handle one more night, though? We'll deal with it in the morning," she said. They both answered in the affirmative and Peyton smiled before leaving. She saw Lucas downstairs, "Say goodnight to your kids, then meet me in the living room," she said to him, the look in her eyes clearly saying, 'we need to talk.'

Lucas nodded and bent down before her, kissing her stomach, about the oversized shirt, first. "Goodnight, my baby," he said, before turning and heading upstairs. The breath caught in Peyton's throat at his gesture, but when he disappeared from her line of sight, she made her way into the kitchen. She grabbed a wine glass from the cupboard and poured herself some sparkling cider before taking a seat on the couch.

When Lucas came downstairs, he eyed the glass cautiously. Before he could even say anything, Peyton spoke up, her eyes on the liquid. "It's non alcoholic. You can even smell it if you'd like," she said, holding the glass towards him, her eyes looking up to meet his. Lucas gave her a look and she brought the glass to her lips. "I'm not going to drink again. Sit down, Luke," she said, gesturing toward the couch, next to her after she had taken a sip.

Lucas kept his eyes on Peyton as he took a seat. She set the glass down and turned to face him. Peyton knew this was going to be hard, but she had to prove a point, so she closed the distance between them, crashing her lips onto his. She let herself get lost in the kiss. She could feel Lucas wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her close, his other hand caressing her face.

After a few minutes, more than Peyton had told herself she was going to allow, she pulled away from him. She forced herself back to the other side of the couch, holding her hands up so he would stay where he was. "I had a point to that, and if you give me a moment, I will get to it," she said, breathless as he watched her curiously. She took one deep breath, and her gaze met his again.

Lucas wanted to reach out for her, but something stopped him. She steadied her gaze as she caught her breath. "We could keep going right now, and I really do want to, more than anything. Oh, God, I definately want it. Right now, though, we can't have it. It would just be sex and I don't want that," she paused. "I'm also not ready to put my heart back into it, yet. So, for now, we're just friends, who have kids together. We started as friends, Luke, and right now, that's all I can be," she stood, picking her glass back up.

She started for the stairs and she was halfway up them when she heard him speak up. "I love you, Peyton Sawyer, and I'm not giving you up without a fight. We may be just friends now, and I'll have to deal with that, but we made it before. We can make it again. We will make it again. I promise you that," he said. Peyton closed her eyes at his words, letting them wash over her. As she started up the stairs again, she whispered to herself, "I'm counting on that, Lucas Scott."

A/N: I'm am extremely sorry that this took so long. I really should have had it up a couple days ago, but I've been having some writers block, and I've been kind of busy. I also lost some of this chapter that I had already written, so I had to rewrite most of the end. I think I'm okay with that way it is now, though. So, tell me what you think. Maybe if you leave lots of reviews I'll be able to write faster.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill, or much of anything really. 


	11. Chapter 11

Things in the Sawyer-Scott household were finally going okay. It had been another two weeks and Peyton had taken to going to Tric for a couple hours a day and working on her label from home, using her laptop. Today, though, she hadn't gone into Tric. She had scheduled Fall Out Boy for an All Aged Night and planned on going to make sure things ran smoothly.

She hadn't had any other unordinary pains sicne the insident that had landed her in the hospital, so Lucas was allowing her to go, on a few conditions, of course. He would go with her to watch out for her, and make sure she only stayed her allotted hour and a half. He had shortened the time because of the environment, to make sure she didn't overwhelm herself., or work too hard. Peyton and Lucas were getting along quite well as friends, so she had agreed.

The main reason she had agreed, though, was because Keirah wouldn't be there. Keirah was in L. A. for a couple days as she figured some things out with the company she worked at. She would be gone until tomorrow, so there was no chance of her showing up at Tric. Peyton still hadn't figured out whether or not anything was going on between Lucas and Keirah and she didn't want to be around in case it hadn't yet, and it did. You never know what's going to happen when you get a few drinks in people.

Brooke and her new fling Chase would be there, too. Peyton hadn't met him yet, but Brooke had seen him a few times in the previous weeks. Peyton was just glad that Brooke was finally moving on from Rachel. Brooke had been pining since her relationship with Rachel had ended, and she had completely denied the fact, making it that much worse. Peyton knew that Chase was only a rebound for Brooke, and she hoped that he didn't get too hurt in the end.

Haley had called her practically every day to check in on her. Haley hadn't really talked about herself, much, though, which made Peyton a little worried. She could tell that something was up with Haley, but hadn't gotten the nerve to ask about it yet. She was sure that Haley would open up with her eventually, if she felt the need. She was relatively sure that it was just a small issue and Haley just didn't want to add to her stress. Or maybe she just wanted to believe that, so she wouldn't feel bad about not asking about it.

Peyton had just finished getting dressed when she heard the front door open and close. She stayed in front of the mirror, putting her earrings in. "I'm in my room," she answered when Lucas called her name. "Are the kids all set at Karens?" she called, biting her lip as she concentrated on getting the earring in; she was having some difficulties. Karen had offered to stay home and babysit the boys for the night because she knew Peyton could handle Tric.

Lucas stopped short when he saw her. Her figure was still perfect, despite being five months pregnant. She was wearing a black strapless dress that fell to right above her knees and hugged her in all the right places. She was wearing black heels which accented her perfect, if a little chickeny, legs. She had curled her hair for the night and it fell around her face and down her back in ringlets. She was putting a pair of black hoop earrings in her ears and her wrists were covered in chunky black bracelets. Her make-up was perfect, her eyes lined in black, and her lipstick bright red.

Peyton turned to look at him, a smile on her face. He was speechless, so she picked up the necklace she planned on putting on, so she would have something to do. He looked amazing in a blue shirt that brought out his eyes and a pair of black slacks. The rest of her accesories showed her more punk side, but the necklace was a thin silver chain, with a little pendant that was made up of three letters. TLA. "Help me put this on," she put the necklace in his hand then turned her back to him, holding up her hair.

Lucas looked down at the necklace she had worn for years, but he hadn't seen in months. He had given it to her for their one year anniversary, and she had worn it ever since, at least, up until four or so months ago. He had thought she had thrown it away, or something. Instead, there it was, in his hands. Three simple letters, that held so much meaning. True Love Always. They were supposed to have it. Was it still there? He really hoped so.

Lucas could remember once, about a year ago, when Peyton had thought that she had lost the necklace. Derek and his wife had the boys for the night because they so rarely got to see them. He had come home from work that day expecting her to be ready for their date that he had planned, and, instead, he had found her freaking out, tearing the apartment up, looking for the necklace. Lucas had planned a romantic night out, and had even made dinner reservations at an expensive, exclusive restaurant, but he immediately forgot all that and helped her in her search.

It had been a few hours later that they found the necklace, it had fallen onto the floor in the bathroom when she had taken it off to shower. Peyton had been extremely relieved that she had found it, but still felt back about screwing up his plans. Lucas had told her it was okay, and they had spent the whole night in, reminscing about old memories and even making some new ones.

Peyton cleared her throat, bringing Lucas out of his thoughts. "My arms are getting kind of tired holding my hair up, dude," she said, resisting the urge to tun and look at him. She knew what he was thinking about. She had been remembering that same night. She had chosen this necklace specifically to tell him that they were making at least a little bit of progress. Lucas put the necklace around her neck and clasped it. Peyton let her hair down and turned to face him, smiling. "Let's go," she said.

Lucas smiled back at her, holding his arm out so she could take it. Peyton grabbed her purse and old leather jacket, putting it on before looping her arm through his, letting him lead her out of the house. When they made it to Tric, Peyton walked in on his arm, before she was called away to set things up. Lucas watched her being whisked away to take care of things, and he made his way through the club. He had yet to see it when it was full of people, and it was quite a sight, especially knowing that Peyton had helped start it.

Peyton felt disappointed that she had to be pulled away from Lucas so soon, but she immediately got into the role of giving orders and making changes. She wanted things to go perfect tonight. Fall Out Boy had always been one of her favorite bands, and this was the first time a really famous group had ever played on her stage. She only hoped it wouldn't be the last.

After getting things moving so the band would be able to play, she found the band's dressing room and knocked on the door. She waited until she heard some acknowledgement from inside before opening the door and slipping in. She couldn't believe she was actually meeting them, but she kept her posture erect and tried not to show how excited she was.

She waited until she had the attention of all four band members before speaking. "Well, I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Peyton Sawyer, partical owner of this club, and I also own a record label. I just wanted to tell you how happy I am that you guys could be here to play. I've always been a big fan of your music," she said, trying to stay business-like.

Pete stood up first, his eyes had been on her since the moment she had entered the room. He set down his guitar and approached her, holding out his hand, which she shook, keeping the eye contact as he stepped closer. "Well, it's an honor to play here. Your label is making quite a splash, and we always prefer to play the small town gigs than the bigger cities," he said.

The other members of the band said some things to her before she was called away to do something else. One thing Peyton noticed as she left the room was that Pete's eyes had never left her. She wasn't quite sure how that made her feel, but she didn't really have much time to think about it. When things were finally running smoothly, she made it out into the club area, finding Brooke, and Lucas and making her way over to them.

Peyton didn't spot the guy on the barstool next to Brooke as she walked up and hugged her friend. "Hey, P. Sawyer, congrats on getting Fall Out Boy, by the way," Brooke said as she pulled back. She took the hand of the guy next to her as they both slid off of their barstools. The guy finally turned, meeting Peyton's eyes. "This is Chase, my boyfriend. Chase, this is my best friend, Peyton, the fabulous, pregnant, partial owner of this club," she said, sending Peyton a look that said she was proud of her, and that she was excited for Peyton to meet Chase.

Peyton's eyes widened as she realized who Chase was. She couldn't believe she hadn't put the pieces together sooner. As she looked into his eyes she silently pleaded with him not to say anything. She reached out to shake his hand. "Chase, oh my gosh. Brooke, I went to high school with this guy. How have you been?" she babbled, allowing Chase to pull her into a hug.

Brooke watched then interact and listened to Chase say a few things about how his life was before she grinned and wrapped an arm through Peyton's. "Great, now you can tell me all about how he used to be and who he used to date. All the good, juicy stuff," she said, speaking to Peyton in a loud stage-whisper, looking at Chase and sending him a wink to let him know she was joking. Kind of.

Peyton rolled her eyes, pulling herself up onto the barstool besides Lucas as the other couple began to talk. "How much time do I have left?" she asked, calling the bartender over and ordering a water. Brooke smiled at the bartender, but didn't start flirting, because of Chase. As she took a sip of her water, Peyton glanced over at Lucas, wondering what was going through his mind.

Lucas had seen the look Peyton had given Chase. He knew something was going on there, and there was something that Peyton wasn't mentioning, but he decided not to bring it up now. So he shoved it to the back of his mind, and focused on what she had just said to him. He checked his watch. "About an hour. Fall Out Boy is going to play soon, right?" he asked.

Peyton kept her eyes on Lucas, one hand holding her water glass while the other gently caressed her necklace. It was a habit that she had thought she had broken long ago. It seemed that it was too engrained in her brain to be let go, though, and she didn't even realize she was doing it. Often, after she had taken the necklace off, she had reached up to her chest to find it bare, devoid of the necklace, and she would always resolutely put her hand back down with a sigh, feeling as if something was missing.

The four just sat at the bar for about ten more minutes, making idle conversation as they waited for Fall Out Boy to take the stage. Peyton had been about to go check on things when the DJ had announced them. Instead, she had sat at the bar, with her friends, her hand-held radio at the ready in case she was needed backstage. After some begging, Peyton got Lucas out on the dance floor, after Brooke had already dragged Chase onto it.

It was a fast song, so they weren't touching, but dancing close to each other, probably closer than necessary. She had handed Lucas her radio so he could put it in his pocket as they danced. While the music was going they didn't have to talk, they could just enjoy each others company. That was what Peyton enjoyed the most. Just being next to him, sharing smiles as they looked into each others eyes.

It was halfway through the list of songs that they were playing when Brooke and Chase came up to them, announcing that they were leaving. With a wave, Brooke left, calling over her shoulder that she would call Peyton in the morning. Peyton watched her friend go, but then turned her attention back to Luacs. Two songs later, someone else was making their way through the crowd.

Peyton took a few steps back as an extremely excited Keirah jumped into Lucas's arms. She couldn't hear Keirah's words over the music, but she didn't really care to. She watched for a moment before turning and heading back stage, where she could watch the band and not have to watch Keirah all over the guy who regularly claimed to love her.

As she was walking through the crowd she glanced up, and her gaze was immediately met by the gaze of Pete Wentz. Most of the time when guys looked at her while she was at Tric, she felt like they were only looking at one thing, and it wasn't her face. Looking at Pete, though, she noticed that his gaze stayed on her eyes the whole time as he played. She smiled back and then went backstage, where she stood at the edge of the stage, back far enough where the crowd couldn't see her, but the band could.

As Peyton was standing off to the side of the stage the band finished their set. She watched as they started packing up their equipment, heading off of the stage as the DJ started playing music again. She congratulated them and thanked them again for playing as they headed back toward the dressing room. Pete was the last one offstage and he stops next to Peyton.

Peyton waits for him to speak, partially knowing what's coming. She's just trying to figure out how to respond if she's right. Pete stood in front of her, pausing for a moment. "Look, this is kind of forward, and you can say no if you want. Do you want to hang out after this, though?" he asked, completelylacking any signs of being nervous.

As much as Peyton had been expecting it, the question still caught her off gaurd. Maybe it was the casual way he just stated it. She had intended on turning him down. "Well I really can't," she said, and he turned to walk away, nodding. "No, wait, I mean, I can't tonight," she paused, taking a deep breath. "The thing is, I'm five months pregnant, and I'm not supposed to be out for more than a couple hours a day. I've just about exceeded my limit for today, but maybe another time, if you still want to," she surprised herself with her words.

Pete considered briefly and then nodded. "I should be in town still tomorrow, I'll give you a call. My agent has your number," he said before turning and heading towards the dressing room. Peyton watched him go, unable to believe that she had just agreed to go on a date with Pete Wentz. It felt so surreal. She was sure no one would believe her.

With a sigh she left the backstage area and headed out toward the dance floor, looking for Lucas. She found him by himself. Apparantly, Keirah had already left. Instead of bringing up any touchy subjects, she just shook her head slightly. "Can we just go home now?" she asked, looking up at him, green eyes meeting blue. She was suddenly more tired than she would like to admit.

Lucas nodded and they walked out to the car in silence. Peyton wondered how the evening had started with things going so great between them, and now things couldn't have been further from great for them as a couple. It wasn't that they hated each other, or anything. It was more that while they had started the night with hope, the hope for them getting together any time soon had quickly faded.

When Lucas parked the car and they started walking toward the house, Peyton reached up, unlatching her necklace as Lucas tried unlocking the door, but found that it wasn't even locked. "I have a date with Pete Wentz," she announced as he pushed the door open, not noticing that there was anything wrong. Lucas was on alert as they made their was through the house, Peyton staying behind him. She was still carrying the necklace in her hands.

Peyton heard noises from the living room and she pointed him in that direction, staying behind him at his insistance. Lucas hesitantly stepped into the living room, flicking on the light switch right next to the entrance. They both stood, shocked for a minute, before Peyton pushed past him. She headed straight for her best friend, who was sitting in the middle of the living room floor, crying her eyes out. Peyton fell onto the ground, taking her friend into her arms, rocking her and murmuring soothing words into her hair. "It's okay, Hales, it'll all be okay," she said.

A/N: Oooh, what do y'all think Haley is doing back in Tree Hill, and why do you think she's crying? I added in the Pete Wentz because I wanted more drama, and also because I love him and I wanted him to be part of the fic. I loved the part in the show where Peyton dated him. He's completely hot, and I don't usually dig guys who wear more eyeliner than me. Oh, and what do you think went on between Peyton and Chase? Let me know what you think!!!

Oh, and on a separate note, about next week's episode, (For those of you who aren't watching, or don't want to hear any spoilers, ignore the rest of this A/N), what do you think about this Julien fellow? Did anyone see the preview? I think that'll be some kind of flashback about what happened between Peyton and Julien. She's with Lucas now, and they don't cheat on each other. They cheat on other people with each other, but they don't cheat on each other. It's just not the Leyton way. Besides, when she first saw Julien, it did not look like she wanted to kiss him. Anyway, so I'll stop babbling. Let me know what you think, about the episode and about the fic.

Disclaimer: I do own One Tree Hill. It's all mine, including Chad and James, and cute little Jackson. Oh, no, wait, that's just a dream. Nevermind. 


	12. Chapter 12

Peyton slowly blinked her eyes open, noticing her boys jumping on the bed, which had awaken her. Her mind snapped to Haley and she was worried that Jason and Aiden would disturb her, but when she sat up, she saw that Haley wasn't in her bed anymore. She pulled her boys into a hug before standing, stretching as she did so. "Have you guy seen your Aunt Haley this morning?" Peyton asked, using her hand to cover a yawn.

Jason nodded and told his mother that she was in the kitchen with Daddy. Peyton nodded, and walked out of the room. She made a pit stop in the bathroom first, throwing some water in her face, trying to wake herself up, before heading down to the kitchen. Haley was sitting at the counter, Lucas was across from her, and Jason had taken a place in Haley's lap, while Aiden was sitting at the barstool next to her.

Peyton walked over and picked Aiden up, sitting down before placing him on her lap. Haley tried her best to look cheerful, and it might have fooled anyone else, but it didn't fool Peyton in the least. She gave Aiden a kiss on the forehead before setting him on the ground, suggesting that he and Jason go play in their room. As the boys took off, Peyton looked at Haley. "You know, you never told me last night why you're here," Peyton said after a moment of silence. Lucas took that as his cue to leave the room.

Haley sighed. Peyton was right. When Peyton had come home last night to find Haley crying on the floor, she had told Lucas to carry Haley upstairs to Peyton's bed, and Peyton had rubbed Haley's back as she cried herself to sleep. "I really didn't mean for that to happen. It just," she paused, trying to stop the tears that were starting to form again. "It's really hard, and it all kind of came crashing down on me last night when I got here," she said. Haley opened her mouth to speak again, but she had to run to the bathroom and empty the contents of her stomach. Again. The reason Haley had been up when Karen had dropped the boys off was because she had gotten nauseous and she didn't want to wake Peyton up by going back into the bedroom.

After a few moments she felt Peyton holding her hair back. After Haley had emptied her stomach, she sat back and then turned, leaning against the bathtub and facing Peyton. Peyton stood and walked to the linin closet, grabbing a rag before returning to the bathroom, where Haley was still on the floor. She turned on the warm water and got the rag wet before turning it off. "Come on, you can sit on the couch and tell me what is going on," she said, using the rag to wipe at Haley's face and mouth before putting her hands beneath Haley's arms, trying to help her up.

Haley tried not to lean on Peyton, but she was still feeling weak from the vomiting. Peyton helped her onto the couch and Haley leaned back, putting the warm rag over her eyes. Peyton sat at the other end of the couch and pulled Haley's feet into her lap. As she waited for Haley to speak, silence fell over them. Glancing over her shoulder, she could see through the kitchen, through the sliding glass door, to the backyard. She could see Lucas playing with the twins. She held back a smile and looked over at her friend again. "What's going on, Hales? You can tell me anything, you know. We're supposed to be best friends," she said, rubbing Haley's foot comfortingly.

Haley didn't remove the rag from her face, nor did she move. Staying in that same position she opened her mouth, letting out the words that would make her whole situation all the more real. "Nathan kicked me out," she whispered, not wanting to say it any louder. It hurt enough just to whisper it. She couldn't look at Peyton as she spoke, but she heard Peyton's gasp.

Peyton didn't understand. Haley and Nathan had just been here a couple of weeks ago. They had been happy. How had things changed so much, so fast? She wanted to ask all these questions, but didn't. She knew Haley wasn't ready to be bombarded with questions just yet; she would tell the story in her own time. The biggest question on her mind, though, was if Haley and Nathan, who had been so deeply in love, couldn't make it, what hope did that leave for anyone else? What hope did that leave for her and Lucas?

Haley was glad that Peyton hadn't immediatly asked a million questions. She knew that Peyton would understand that she needed to tell the story at her own pace. Unless Peyton was still digesting it. Haley knew she was definately still digesting it. She lifted the rag and looked over, noticing that Peyton was looking at her, patiently waiting for her to continue. She gave a weak smile before sinking her head back into the couch cushion, letting the rag drop back over her eyes.

After another moment she took a deep breath, readying herself to delve into the details that she had been trying to avoid thinking about. "You know I've been working on my music, recording with this guy, Chris Keller?" she asked, and didn't need to look to see Peyton's nod. She knew Peyton remembered. "Well, that's all we've been doing lately, and all I've been doing with Nathan is fighting," she sighed, wishing she had just given up on the music a long time ago. She knew that she loved singing, but the events that had transpired had not been worthing losing Nathan over.

She knew she had gotten too lost in it, but she hadn't been able to help it at the time. She'd trade the song and the record deal if she could get Nathan back. She took a deep breath, knowing she had to explain it a little better to Peyton. "Well, since I started working with Chris, I've really gotten better at singing, he has helped me a lot. Nathan just didn't like how much time I was spending with Chris. He thought Chris liked me as more than just a co-worker, or whatever you want to call my relationship with Chris," she sighed, trying to keep the tears in, knowing that Peyton could tell she was close to tears anyway.

She tried to keep her voice calm and devoid of emotion as she continued. "He was right, of course. I was just too blinded by the music to see that Chris was hitting on me all the time. Or maybe I just didn't want to see it. Nathan and I had been fighting before Chris even came into the picture. Not fighting, really, I guess, just, tensions were high because I couldn't seem to get pregnant," she paused, letting it all soak in.

Peyton nodded, she knew that Haley hadn't been able to get pregnant, and that they were trying. It would give any couple greif. Nathan was also the kind of guy who would get jealous of another guy spending so much time with Haley. Just because he loved her so much and he didn't want to lose her. Peyton could tell that there was more to the story, too, though, so she didn't speak up.

Haley couldn't stop the tears that slipped from her eyes. "He kissed me, yesterday, at the studio," she whispered, and Peyton didn't need to ask who. "Nathan saw it, and we got into this huge fight, even though I pushed Chris away. He wanted me to give up Chris and while I don't disagree with him on that, he wants me to choose between him and my music," she spoke softly, not bothering to hide the tears as she sat up, removing the rag and crying fully.

Peyton reached forward and wrapped her best friend in a hug, letting Haley cry on her shoulder. As she rubbed comforting circles on Haley's back, Haley's sobs began to soften. "I took the first flight I could get out here. It's just, I've come so far. A label has offered to sign a record deal with me, and I've recorded one song already. It's always been my secret dream to sing in front of people, you know," she paused as her tears increased again.

When she regained control of her voice she continued. "To be honest, I'd give it all up, everything, just so Nathan would take me back. You didn't see the look in his eyes. It was more than hate and sadness and anger. He was truly and honestly disappointed me, and that's one thing I wouldn't be able to stand. Seeing that look of disappointment in his eyes everyday as he looks at me," she dissovled into sobs that wracked her body with every sob and Peyton held her closer.

After a while Haley ran out of sobs, but Peyton kept holding her best friend. She wished she knew the words to say to make it all better, but she knew that there were no words. She had been in Haley's place, she still was, in a way. She knew who she was meant to be with, but she something was stopping them from being together. She also knew that only one thing could really make it better. That one thing was about the least possible thing that would happen, though.

Instead of offering advice, or false hope, Peyton took a different approach. "You can't sign with that label, Hales," she said, confidently. Haley leaned back, wondering what Peyton meant. Before she could even open her mouth, though, Peyton had continued. "You can't sign with that label, because I want you to sign with mine. I believe in you Hales, and I think now is a time for you to follow your dream, and the rest will fall into place," she said, trying to convince herself that she was right.

Haley paused for a moment, then, knowing that she wouldn't be able to convince Peyton otherwise, she nodded. "I'm having some trouble with some lyrics to this other melody I have, though. Do you think you can help me?" she asked. Before Peyton could reply, Haley put her hand to her mouth, running to the bathroom for the third time.

Peyton held Haley's hair again, and this time when she pulled back, she felt somewhat better. She washed her face and brushed her teeth with a spare toothbrush that Peyton had. Then they both returned to the couch, just as the boys were coming into the house. They ran right up to their mom, Aiden climbing into her lap. "Mama, what's for lunch?" he asked.

Peyton thought for a moment, biting her lip as she did. Her train of thought derailed, however, when Lucas entered the living room. He had taken his shirt off because of the heat, and he was sweating from playing with the boys. She had to rip her eyes away from the sight of him because she knew he wasn't hers to look at anymore. She forced her mind back on the conversation. If only she could remember the conversation. After another moment she clears her throat. "Why don't we all just," she had been about to suggest that they go out to lunch, but the words died on her lips as she heard her cell phone.

Peyton gently moved Aiden aside, looking for the source of the ringing. She spotted her purse and walked over to it, picking it up and pulling her cell phone out. The number was restricted, but she flipped it open anyway. After she said a greeting, she heard the voice on the other end and she smiled, biting her lip as she listened to his words. She forgot about the rest of the room as she talked on the phone. When the conversation was over, and she flipped her phone shut she turned and saw Haley sitting on the couch and reality came crashing down.

Haley and Lucas watched as Peyton talked on the phone, clearly enamoured with whoever was on the other line. Haley glanced over at Lucas, wondering what this meant for Lucas and Peyton. Lucas shrugged at her, but he had a feeling he knew who was on the line. When Peyton finally shut her phone, and noticed that they were still there, she closed her eyes as she caught sight of Haley and his suspiscion was confirmed. "That was Pete, right?" he asked. Her silence answered his question and Lucas abrubtly stood and left the room.

Peyton wanted to go after him, but she knew she couldn't. After watching the space where he had last been, she turned to look at her best friend. Haley's eyes were wide as she watched the scene unfold. "Who is Pete? Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, are you seeing someone?" she glanced at the boys and knew it was best not to say anything more.

Peyton swallowed nervously. She hadn't wanted to tell her like this. Especially not with her kids in the room. She put her hands on her hips, glaring at her best friend. "Don't you dare pull the middle name card on me, Haley James-Scott," she said before sitting next to her on the couch, sighing as she did. "Pete is Pete Wentz. Yes, Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy," she added before Haley could ask. "He asked me to go out with him today, and I said yes, but that was before I thought of you. I'll call him back and cancel," she said, flipping her phone open.

Haley grabbed the phone and shut it before Peyton could get any numbers dialed. "You will do no such thing, Peyton. I will not allow you to miss a date with Pete Wentz from Fall Out Boy for me. As long as you're really sure that you want to go out with him," she added hesitantly, still thinking about the look on Peyton's face as she had watched Lucas walk away. Not to mention the look that had appeared on Peyton's face when Lucas had walked into the room.

Peyton sighed. She knew what Haley meant, but she didn't really want to think about it. "I'm sure. I just really don't want to leave you. Are you sure you're okay with me going out? I mean, it'll only be for a couple hours, because that's all I'm allowed, but I really don't have to go if you don't want me to," she said honestly. It would be a nice way to get her mind off of things, mainly Lucas, but she wouldn't go if Haley didn't want her to.

Haley nodded. "Yeah, I want to take my nephews out to lunch, anyway. I barely get to spend time with them. Now, what time is your date coming?" she asked. Peyton's eyes said it all and Haley pushed her up, telling the boys that they'd go out for lunch in a little bit before she led Peyton to her room. "So, do you want to look punk or girly. I guess for Pete Wentz you'd want to look punk, right?" she asked, as she began pulling clothes out of Peyton's closet.

Peyton took a seat on her bed, surprised that Haley was the one digging through the closet. She remembered all the times she had had to pick out Haley's outfit before they went somewhere. She was brought out of her memories when Haley tossed some clothes at her. She looked at the plaid mini-skirt and black tank top that she hadn't worn in ages. Haley also pulled her black combat boots out of the closet, setting them on the bed too. Then she grabbed Peyton's leather jacket from where it was draped across the chair. "Don't just sit there, get dressed," Haley commanded when she realized Peyton hadn't moved yet.

Peyton rolled her eyes at her friends pushiness, but stood up, taking her shirt off as she did, so she could pull the tank top on. Just as she was pulling her shirt over her head, Lucas walked into the room, not even thinking to knock. He stood there for a second, frozen, before turning around, sheilding his eyes, as Haley noticed him. "Sorry, sorry. I was, um, just wondering what you planned on doing for lunch. If you don't have anything planned, I was going to start cooking," he said, his back to the inside of the room.

Peyton quickly replaced her other shirt with the tank top as she realized what had happened. "I'm about to leave, but Haley wanted to take the boys out to lunch. You can probably go with them," she said, somewhat amused by his embarassment, but also trying to hide her own. She only hoped that she wasn't blushing. Haley just watched with an amused smile, unwilling to help either of them.

Lucas nodded, chancing a glance into the room. He was relieved to see that she had a shirt on, but also a little disappointed. "So, uh, I'll go down and keep the boys company while we wait for you," he said to Haley, throwing Peyton another glance before practically sprinting away. He had come up to say sorry for his reaction to her date. He had no right to be jealous. All of that flew out of his mind when he had seen her without a shirt on, though, so he would have to apologize later.

Haley still had that amused smirk on her face, even after Lucas had left. Peyton was beginning to grow annoyed with it. Haley tried to wipe it off her face as she walked over to shut the door before Peyton changed out of the pants she was wearing. "Maybe you should keep your door closed when you change, unless you want to give someone else a show," she said, chuckling.

Peyton just glared at her friend, before slipping off her pants, quickly slipping the skirt on afterwards. She slipped on a pair of socks and pulled her combat boots, lacing them up, all the while giving Haley the silent treatment. She pulled on her jacket and made to leave the room, but stopped in the doorway. Haley was trying to hide the smirk that wanted to show. "You just lost all best friend privlages concerning this date. I don't think I'll tell you anything about it," she said, just as there was a knock on the door.

Haley started to protest, the smirk fully gone, to be replaced by an apologetic pout as she followed Peyton to the front door. They both paused at the front door before Peyton could open it. "I'll think about it, just as long as you promise to never mention that incident again," she said sternly. Haley nodded, and gave her best friend a hug before leaving the room, leaving Peyton to open the front door, and go on her first date since Lucas.

A/N: Okay, well, what do you think? I'm not gonna write much about the Pete and Peyton relationship, because I don't really see much point in it. I don't really like writing about Peyton with anyone except Lucas(and vise versa) unless it's absolutely necessary. So there will be a relationship, in theory. I just won't write much about the romantic things between them. Oh, and next chapter tensions will rise between Leyton, and there will be a fight, where lots of feelings are laid out on the table and some accusations will be made. Just thought I'd let you know that. I think I'll stop rambling now, so you guys can get to reviewing. Thank you everyone who has reviewed already, and even those who haven't.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. I dream about it, and I write about it, but I do not own it, and I do not make any money writing about it, although it would be kind of cool if I did. 


	13. Chapter 13

It had been a month, and Peyton was still seeing Pete, sometimes as much as three times in one week. She had avoided Lucas, because she didn't want him to give her grief when she was still relatively sure that he was seeing his editor. Keirah hadn't shown up at the house much, but Peyton knew that Lucas had gone out to see her, and her boys had even met her. Tensions were running high between the two, though, and pretty soon either a fight was going to break out between them, or they'd fall into bed together. Peyton wasn't sure which one she'd prefer.

Peyton had also been helping Haley with her album and since it was December, they were planning on releasing her new song for the new year. Haley hadn't talked to Nathan, but she did have a secret that she was keeping from everyone, even Peyton. Peyton could tell there was something that Haley wasn't telling her, but she just waited. She knew that eventually Haley would crack. Haley was still staying in the guest bedroom, and Lucas was staying in the other one. So, with the boys each having their own room, Lucas in one room and Haley in the other, Peyton had a full house. She was starting to think Brooke should have bought her a bigger house.

Peyton walked into the house, after just getting home from a date with Pete. She looked around, but couldn't hear any noises, so she walked into the kitchen. "Hales, Aiden, Jason, anyone?" she called, glancing into the back yard before heading for the stairs. Lucas came out of his bedroom, just as Peyton reached the bottom of the stairs. He was wearing nothing but a pair of pajama pants and she had to avert her eyes to avoid staring at his chest.

Lucas studied her for a minute. "What took you so long to get back? You've been gone hours. You're on doctors orders to only stay out for two hours. Two hours, Peyton. You're supposed to be on bed rest," he said. He had been somewhat worried that she would harm the baby, but he was more concerned because she kept going out with Pete. A rockstar boyfriend couldn't be good when you're in the middle of a stressful pregnancy.

Peyton narrowed her eyes at him. She could tell he was jealous. She didn't want to think about that right now. She resisted the urge to kiss him as her eyes drifted down to his chest against her will She quickly averted her gaze and turned away from him. "So where are Haley and the boys?" she asked, brushing past him as she walked by, on her way to the living room.

Lucas followed her, watching as she plopped down on the couch. He had seen her eyes wander, and had always known how she reacted when he was shirtless, especially when she was pregnant and her hormones were running rampant. He stood in the doorway of the living room, watching her and he really wished that he could just kiss her. She looked gorgeous, especially with the pregnancy glow she was sporting.

He walked over and knelt next to her. If he couldn't kiss her, he would kiss the next best thing: their daughter. He lifted her shirt, placed one hand on each side of her stomach, and placed a kiss on it. The baby had grown, so she was finally showing a little. They had learned at their last appointment that it would be a girl. He looked up at her, still in between her legs as his hands rested on her stomach. "Haley wanted to spend some quality time with them," he said before standing, hovering over her for a moment. "He's not good enough for you," he added simply.

Peyton's gaze narrowed again and she glared up at him, her hand placed protectively over her bump. "Don't," she spoke harshly, and he winced at the anger in that one word. Peyton was furious at him, for even acting like he had any say in her life. "You can't do that, Lucas. You left me. You can't tell me who I can and can't date. Why isn't he good enough, huh? Because he's not you?" she spat out, standing and turning to walk away.

Lucas subconsciously reached out and grabbed her arm, and Peyton felt even more annoyed at the shiver that moved through her whole body at his touch. She turned to face him and he could see the passion, the fire in her green eyes. He hadn't meant to make her mad. "That's not what I meant. It's just, I don't want to see you get hurt, Peyton," he said, trying to calm her down.

Peyton scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. She really couldn't believe that he had said that. She closed her eyes briefly as the hurt flew up in her. She masked it with the anger, and opened her eyes again. "You don't want me to get hurt? You? Well, it's a little late for that, Lucas. You hurt me four months ago when you left, and I've been hurting ever since. So, if me getting hurt is what you're worried about, don't," she said before turning away, pulling her arm from his grip and starting to walk off.

Lucas stood shocked for a moment as he watched her walk away. "You could've said yes," he spoke softly, but the words reached Peyton's ears. He could tell by the way her back stiffened as she stopped walking. She didn't turn to look at him this time, but he continued anyway. "You said no, Peyton. I asked you for forever and you said no. You think that the past four months have been easy for me?" he asked.

She turned around slowly, trying to find the right words. She couldn't believe he had misintrepreted her words so much. Everything he had ever said to her was a lie. "No, Lucas, I said someday. I wanted to marry you, Lucas, I want to marry you, but God, you couldn't even wait another year, or so. You said you'd wait forever, but it was all lies, wasn't it? Everything you've ever said to me," she spoke softly as the tears welled up in her eyes. She willed them not to fall as she stared at him. She wasn't sure she even wanted to hear his answer.

Lucas's eyes widened and then softened as he saaw the tears forming in her eyes. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort her, but he couldn't, because he knew he had caused those tears. He also was confused about what she said. He was hurt that she could even think that. His mind didn't even register that she had used present tense when talking about marriage. Hers didn't either. "Of course not. I meant everything I said to you. Why do you think I asked you to marry me, Peyton? You're the one who has never supported me. Did you even read my book?" he shot back, the words leaving his mouth only because they were in the middle of a fight.

Peyton was shocked by his words, and he almost wished he could take them back. Almost. He didn't and the shock turned to anger. "I never supported you?" She turned and headed up the stairs, leaving it unspoken that he should follow. He followed her into her bedroom and found her in the closet, pulling a box out from the back, dragging it along the floor. "I never f*cking supported you? Damnit, Lucas, what the hell do you call this? If I never supported you then why the hell do I buy your damn book every single f*cking time I see it in a store?" she pulled some copies out of the book and started throwing them at him.

Lucas, standing in her doorway, was surprised by the books flying at him. They were all the same book, he noticed, looking down at one he had caught in his hands. He looked up again and had to dodge as a hard cover came flying straight at his head. He didn't even have a chance to speak before she was yelling again. "You're right, though, in one thing. I never read it. I couldn't, not knowing that it was a lie, and that you're with your editor. Everything between us was a damned lie," she said, the anger flowing out of her body as the tears cascaded down her cheeks.

Lucas watched as she broke down, and wanted to hold her, but something was stopping him. "Read the damned book, Peyton, it'd do you good. Also, why the hell don't you get your facts straight before you start throwing around accusations like that," he paused and the next time he opens his mouth his voice has softened. "I thought I could handle this, living in the same house with you. I guess I was wrong," he said before he disappeared, dropping the copy of his book onto the floor as he left.

Peyton sunk to the floor and sobbed. Around twenty minutes later she heard the front door slam shut and she knew he had left. Again. That made her cry all the harder. She was still on the floor when she heard the front door open again. She assumed it was Haley, but she didn't hear the sound of her boys running through the house or anything, so she knew it wasn't. She also knew it wasn't Lucas, so she didn't really care much about who it was. He was really the only one who could make her better. She knew that, but she was still trying to deny it.

Brooke walked through the quiet house. She knew Lucas was supposed to be there, at least, that was what Haley had told her when she had run into her at the Cafe. She wanted to make things right between Peyton and Lucas, and she knew that she needed to talk some sense into her best friend, but she needed to talk to Lucas first, because she had to make sure he was back for good. Also, she wanted to find out the truth about Keirah. The subject had been danced around, but no one knew for sure why Keirah was in town.

She dropped by in Lucas's room, and was surprised to find it empty. Not only was he not in it, all of his stuff was gone. She kinked her eyebrow, wondering what happened. She decided to venture into Peyton's room, to see if the blonde was home. When she reached the doorway of the room she stopped in her tracks. She noticed all books on the floor. Then she noticed that they were all the same book: Lucas's book. When she spotted the blonde, laying on the floor, crying, she immediately went to her side.

Brooke helped Peyton up off of the floor and led her over to the bed. They both sat down and Brooke wrapped her arms around Peyton, rubbing her back soothingly as she waited for Peyton to stop crying. When the tears finally stopped she held on for just a while longer before speaking. "Lucas is gone. What happened?" she asked softly.

Peyton pulled back, pushing away from her friend until her back was against the headboard. Then she pulled her legs up close to her chest, so she could rest her chin on them. It was a classic, Peyton, I'm-shutting-everything-out pose. Brooke watched, with one eyebrow raised, as Peyton began to speak, trying her best to sound detatched. "I assume he's moving out. We had this huge fight and he said he couldn't live with me anymore. It doesn't matter, he's left before, I guess I should have expected him to leave again," she said.

Brooke coerced her best friend into telling the whole story, every bitter, sad, hurt, angry word that had been thrown between the pair. She had been angry at Lucas when he had cheated on her with Peyton, but she was even more angry at him for what he had said to her. In spite of her the anger, she also knew he was right. She had read the book, and she knew that the love Peyton and Lucas shared was epic. It had just gotten a little off track. "Now, don't be angry at me, Peyt, but maybe you should just read the book," she said softly.

Peyton's gaze snapped to Brooke and for a second the brunette saw something flash in her eyes, but then the spark disappeared and she was back to looking apathetic. "It's too late now, it wouldn't matter even if I did," she paused and, against her will, another tear slipped down her cheek because of that realization. There was something that she did need to do, she realized. She picked up the phone on her bedside table and dialed a number that he had given her, in case she needed it. "Come over, now," she said into the phone when the person on the other end picked up. Before the person had a chance to reply she had hung up again and set the phone back on her night stand.

Peyton sent Brooke a look that said she wanted to be alone when whoever she had called came over. Brooke stood and turned toward the door. Before she left, though, she turned back towards Peyton. "You have an epic love, P. Sawyer, don't give it up. I had that once, and I'd give anything to get it back," she paused as she thought. "You know, we were all supposed to go to the cabin this weekend. I think we still should, even though the three couples that were supposed to be going aren't exactly together right now. Maybe it's what we all need, a weekend away from stress," she said.

Peyton looked up at Brooke, but didn't reply. She wasn't sure that a weekend with her, Haley, Brooke and all three of their estranged exes, not that she was giving up on Haley and Nathan yet, would be a weekend free of stress. She could tell fron the look on Brooke's face that she was going to make it happen, though, and there would be no stopping it. She only hoped they would all make it out alive.

A/N: I thought this would be a good place to end it. I planned on the person Peyton called coming over in this chapter, but I suppose you'll just have to wait until the next chapter for that. So, who do you think she called? What do you think about my cabin idea? I've been planning on that roughly since I started this fic. For a while there I wasn't sure how I was going to fit it in, but I guess it's coming up. Within the next couple chapters a few different couples should be reuniting, but I won't say who, except I will say that one of those couples will be Leyton. That's not to say that the fic is over yet. Far from it. I guess I've done enough teasing for now. I'll get to working on my next update. I'd love lots of reviews, please and thank you!

Disclaimer: This is pretty much ridiculous now. We all know I don't own One Tree Hill. If I did I would most certainly not be writing fan fiction, now would I? 


	14. Chapter 14

After Brooke had left Peyton got out of bed, trying to make herself look presentable. She cleaned up the tears and make-up streaked across her face and ran a brush through her blonde locks. When she heard the knock on the door she walked downstairs. She opened the door to find the person she called on the other side. Without a word she stepped back, pulling the door open and gesturing for the person to enter.

Keirah slipped by wordlessly and made her way into the living room, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet. She had her left hand tucked into the pocket of her jeans as she walked. She didn't understand why Peyton had called her, but she had headed right over anyway. She took a place on the couch and waited for Peyton to speak.

Taking a deep breath, Peyton sat on a chair opposite Keirah. She tried to gather her thoughts. "Have you ever slept with Lucas?" she blurted suddenly. That was the question she really wanted answered. She knew she could beat around the bush, but she adn Keirah weren't exactly friends, and she had to know. Maybe if Lucas and Keirah had never been together, things could eventually be okay between her and Lucas.

Keirah looked shocked by the question. Then understanding passed over her face. "You never read the book, did you?" she asked, somewhat sadly. Peyton shook her head, wondering where this was going. "Peyton, I had to edit that book, I know every single feeling in that guys heart, and I know, without a doubt, that you are the love of his life. I could never be with him, not knowing that I would always be his second choice. Hell, he never even looked at me like that. He's seen me almost as a little sister the whole time I've been his editor," she explained.

Peyton sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Why did it all come back to that book? Three people had told her to read it, now, and they all said that she would understand if she did. What they didn't understand, is that what Lucas said, and what he did were two totally different things. Actions speak louder than words. He may have said he loved her, and he may have written about it, but he walked out on her. Twice, now. "He left. None of you seem to get that. He left me. He left me months ago, and he just left me again, today. What he says and what he does are not the same," she protested.

Keirah rolled her eyes at her resistance. She didn't understand how Peyton had the perfect love, right in front of her, but she chose not to see it. "Peyton, you have an epic love with Lucas. Don't let that go. You know, every single book signing we had, in every city, he would scan the crowd, looking for you. He may deny it, but I know he was. All he ever wanted was for you to be proud of him. He gave it all up for you, you know," she said, trying to get the blonde to understand.

Something clicks in Peyton's mind at hearing Keirah's words. Maybe it was because Keirah wasn't one of her friends or maybe it was because she knew Keirah was the one who edited the book, so she probably knew it the best. She decided then that maybe it couldn't hurt to read it. "Why do you care so much if Lucas and I get back together? I mean, to be honest, it seemed to me like you like him," she paused. "I saw the kiss in Chicago," she admitted.

Keirah kinked her eyebrow in confusion when Peyton talked about a kiss. She thought back to the stop in Chicago during the tour and suddenly realized what Peyton meant. She couldn't help the laughter that bubbled up in her chest, spilling out of her mouth. The thought of her liking Lucas like that was hilarious. She could tell Peyton was getting annoyed with the laughter and decided to tell Peyton the reason why what she had just said was so funny.

She pulled her left hand out of her pocket, flashing the ring on her third finger. "Peyton, I never liked Lucas like that. He's practically a brother to me, and one of the best friends I have. I'm getting married. Soon I will be Mrs. Jake Jagielski," she honestly couldn't say the words enough. They just rolled off of her tongue. "That kiss was just a 'good luck' kind of thing. I've always known he was in love with you, and I've always been in love with someone else," she added simply.

The name immediately clicked in Peyton's head. "Jake Jagielski? Where did you meet him?" she asked with interest. Suddenly there seemed something familiar about her face, her eyes in particular. She knew she should know Keirah from somewhere, but she couldn't place where. Then, all of a sudden, it hit her. She remembered all the times she had been at Chase's house during freshman year. She remembered all the times when she had played with his little sister, Keirah. "I can't believe I didn't see it before. Why didn't you say anything?" she asked, because she knew Keirah remembered exactly who she was.

Keirah shrugged, amusement clearly etched on her face. Of course she remembered Peyton. Peyton had been friends with her brother long before their relationship progressed, and Keirah had been enamored by an older female, because all she had was brothers, and their mother wasn't around, having died giving birth to their youngest sibling. She remembered the last few years Chase had been in high school, after Peyton had moved on with Jake. Chase would never admit it, but the fact that she had moved on so quickly had hurt him, even if he pretended it didn't.

She hadn't mentioned anything before, though, because Jake had asked her not to mention him yet. It was hard to talk about her past in her hometown without mentioning her fiance, who had lived next door to her for years, and who had been her childhood crush. She also didn't want to make things awkward between Peyton and Lucas, by bringing up the guy who had once proposed to Peyton.

She offered Peyton an honest smile. "You never really asked, because you never really took the time to get to know me. I understand why now, though. All this time you thought I was in love with the one who had most recently asked you to marry him, when all along I've been in love with the first person to propose to you," she said.

Peyton turned her eyes to the ground as the memories washed over her for a minute. Then she stood up, holding her hand out as a peace offering. "Well, I'm sorry for the way I treated you. I guess I was just being jealous, even though I had no right to be. I'm hoping we can be friends, although I understand it if you don't want to be. In any case, I hope your happy and that your marriage lasts, because I'm beginning to realize that a lasting relationship is hard to come by these days," she said.

Keirah stood up, too, but instead of taking the hand, she pulled Peyton into a hug. After a moment they pulled away and Peyton could see that Keirah was happy the tension between them had disappeared. She had a playful grin on her face. "You're still in love with Lucas," she said, somewhat accusingly, pointing at Peyton. Peyton kinked her eyebrow, wondering how Keirah had come to this conclusion. "You wouldn't have been so jealous of me if you weren't," she added simply to Peyton's questioning look.

Peyton just rolled her eyes. Before she could respond, though, she heard the front door open and her kids running into the house. She turned, and a grin formed on her face as she saw them. Keirah, standing almost diagonally from Peyton, caught a side glimpse of Peyton's face. She could tell the smile was genuine and that her children were one thing that really made her truly happy. Lucas was another thing that did that. Despite the smile on Peyton's face, Keirah could tell that she wasn't completely happy. Something was missing in her life. Lucas.

Keirah blew out a sigh. She knew Lucas had moved out. He had called her so she could see if there was any vacancy in the hotel she was staying out. She just wished the two blondes would look past their pride and admit that they were both wrong, and just get past it already. When Haley followed the boys into the living room, Keirah knew it was her time to leave. She reached out and touched Peyton's arm, getting her attention. "Just give me a call if you need to talk, or you want to hang out, or something. You obviously know my number." Peyton nodded, with a small smile. "Hey, just think about what I said, okay. You deserve that kind of epic love. You both do," she added before leaving the room, ruffling the boys hair and brushing past Haley before she was gone.

Peyton watched Keirah leave, an unreadable expression on her face. She didn't know what to think of the visit. She returned her attention to Haley and the boys. "Hales, can you handle dinner tonight?" she asked, because it was getting pretty late in the evening. Haley nodded, wondering what was going through Peyton's mind. "Can you put them to bed, too? I have some things in my room I need to take care of," she added. Haley nodded again, wondering what was up. Peyton said an early goodnight to the boys and then they ran to their room to play.

Haley waited for the sounds of the boys running up the stairs to fade before speaking. Something had happened, she knew. She decided to start with what she thought was the easiest question. "Where's Lucas?" The only thing Peyton did to respond was shrug her shoulders as she avoided Haley's gaze. Haley thought this was odd, but decided to dismiss the thought for now. "Why was Keirah here?" she decided to ask next.

Peyton knew the interrogation wasn't going to stop until she gave Haley some answers. She sat on the couch, mainly because she was a little worn out from the day, but also because the baby was kicking. She gestured for Haley to come over, then she put Haley's hands on her stomach, hoping that Haley would be able to feel it this time. So far, no one had been able to feel, not because it wasn't noticible from the outside, but because it was such a rare occurrence, and she never kicked but once or twice at a time. Their daughter was definately not as energetic as the boys.

Haley looked up, a grin on her face, as their was another kick, and Peyton knew she had felt it. Peyton could help the smile that tugged at her own lips. It still amazed her that there was a baby girl growing inside her, her daughter, Lucas's daughter. Without realizing it, she let out a happy sigh as her hands were on her stomach. She looked up to see Haley looking at her with a wide grin and then she realized what had happened. She didn't want to go into another conversation where someone was telling her that she had to make up with Lucas, so she hastily tried to come up with a change of subject.

As she searched her mind, she realized there was nothing she could talk about that wouldn't eventually lead into a conversation about Lucas. As she kept casting about for a topic, her cell phone rang, and she picked it up off the coffee table triumphantly. She flipped it open without checking the caller ID, because she just wanted to escape conversation about Lucas. She said a greeting and waited for the person on the other end to speak.

Brooke paused a moment. She had called Peyton hurriedly and she needed to write down a thought before she could commit to the conversation. When she put the pen down she turned her attention to the phone in her hand. "Peyton, you better have no plans for the weekend. The cabin trip is still on, and I've already arranged everything. This is going to be a weekend of reconciliation," she grinned happily as she went over the checklist she had made in her head. Everything was in place. She had gotten all the details aligned, and if she was lucky, both her best friends would be with who they were meant to be with by the end of the weekend.

Peyton froze as she heard the words Brooke spoke. They had planned the cabin trip ages ago, long before many events had taken place. Back when all three couples were together and blissfully happy. How could Brooke have possibly arranged it all so fast? Then a thought clicked in her head and she knew that, despite all Brooke's planning, there would be one thing she left out, whether it be on purpose or by accident. Brooke could plan all she wanted, but Peyton intended to get a little scheming of her own in. She pretended to be gracious about it, and Brooke told her the details she needed to give Haley before they ended the conversation.

Haley was looking curiously at Peyton throughout the whole conversation. When Peyton shut her phone, a somewhat wicked smile on her face, Haley wondered if she should be concerned. Peyton spoke up before she could say anything. "That cabin trip we planned almost a year ago is coming up. Brooke says she has everything taken care of," Peyton explained. Haley's eyes widened as she realized what Peyton meant. "If Brooke wants to throw us into an uncomfortable situation, we can do the same to her. I need to make a call before I go my room for the night," she said, flipping her phone open once more.

Peyton dialed a number and waited as it rang. Without waiting for the other person to say hello, she spoke as soon as she heard the click of the line. "Hey, you remember that cabin trip we planned? Well, it's supposed to be this weekend, and I'm not letting you out of it," she paused for a moment, letting this sink it. She listened to the protests from the other line for a minute before interrupting. "I'm sure Brooke would want you there," she said, pulling out the big guns. "She's missed you, whether she admits it or not. Besides, this is going to be a weekend of reconciliation. Those words are straight from Brooke's mouth," she paused, smiling with the person agreed. "I knew you'd see it my way," she said, briefly giving some information before hanging up.

Peyton closed her phone with a satisfied smile on her face. If Brooke could have some fun, so could she. "This is shaping up to be a hell of a weekend. I just hope Brooke knows what she's doing," Haley said, a distant look in her eyes as she thought of all the things that could go wrong with Brooke's plans. Peyton just nodded, silently agreeing with her best friend. After a moment she stood, excused herself, and headed for her bedroom. She had a lot of things to do tonight, to prepare for what this weekend might bring. A lot of thinking, and even some reading.

When Peyton closed the door to her room she realized the books were still strewn about. She carefully picked each of them up, placing one paperback on her bed while taking the others back to the box, where she stacked them neatly. As she was putting the box back into her closet, something on the closet shelf caught her attention.

On her closet shelf sat a box. It had been there since she had moved into the house. Peyton had found it when cleaning out the old apartment, but she had just moved it to her closet shelf without looking in it because it said her name on it, and she had assumed at the time that it was just some of her old stuff. Now, though, she realized that she did not recognize the box, but she did recognize the handwriting in which her name was written in. She had only seen that loopy scrawl written from Lucas's hand.

Peyton started at the box for a long minute, wondering what to do about it. Finally her curiousity won out and she reached up, plucking the box from the shelf and making her way to the bed with it in her arms. It was heavier than she remembered and when she reached the bed it slipped out of her hand, falling onto her bed. It landed on its side and the lid fell off, letting papers and some other trinkets fall out. She sat on her bed and began sifting through the old things, many of which she remembered.

She couldn't stop the gasp that left her throat as she realized how far back some of these things dated. It was like seeing a timeline of her relationship with Lucas. There were pictures, letters, and cards and other little things that were significant to their relationship. She couldn't believe he had kept all these things. More importantly, she couldn't believe he was still adding things. There were a few items that she knew had to have just been added. She wondered if she should feel annoyed that he had snuck into her room, but then decided that she didn't care.

Towards the bottom of the pile she noticed a business card from the restaurant they had been eating at the first time she had told him she was pregnant, with the boys. She also saw some pictures from that tiem period. There were five years worth of memories and Peyton could feel a tear sliding down her cheek, landing on a long, slender, black box in front of her. She eyes it warily for a moment. She didn't recognize it, but could tell it contained a bracelet of some sort. She cautiously picked it up and, with shaky hands, opened it.

In the box was a charm bracelet, filled with charms. Peyton didn't understand why it had been in the shoebox. She had never seen it before. As she looked closer, though, she could see the different charms, and she recognized the significance of each of them. She wondered why Lucas had it, if he hadn't intended to give it to her, but she put the thought out of her mind as she shut the small box again, setting it amongst the other items.

After spending some time looking over every item in the box, reminiscing over pictures, rereading old letters, laughing at some memories, crying at others, her fingers fell across a necklace, underneath all the other items. As she fingered the delicate chain, picking it up to look at it, she realized it was the necklace she had been wearing the night Haley had shown up at her house. She had vaguely wondered where it was the past month, but since she had been trying to occupy her mind with Pete, she had forced herself not to dwell on it too much.

After finding hte necklace she decided to put all the items back into the box. She carefully placed everything back in the shoe box and placed the lid on it, setting it on the floor and sliding it under her bed instead of taking it back to the closet. Then she settled in with the book, opening it to the first page. She didn't set the book down once as she read it cover to cover. The book was more than a couple hundred pages, but she read it in a matter of hours. As she closed it, she realized what everyone meant when they said that she needed to read the book.

She realized that everyone was right also, when they said that she was meant to be with Lucas. She wasn't quite ready to throw away her pride yet, though. She decided to see what happened over the course of the weekend, and then see what happened after that. She did know one thing, though. She couldn't lead Pete on anymore. It was the time to face up to what the rest of her world already knew. She had always, and would always be in love with Lucas Scott.

A/N: Okay, this has been written for a while. To be honest, after finishing Chapter 14, I started with this one. I decided I needed to post the next chapter of Stay My Baby first, though. So, after somewhat of a wait, here it is. What do you think? No one guessed that she would call Keirah, and I have to admit that kind of surprised me. Anyway, I'd appreciate lots of reviews, pretty please and thank you.

Disclaimer: Do I even need to do this anymore? I just don't own it. 


	15. Chapter 15

Peyton was behind the wheel of her Comet. Brooke was in the backseat with her huge suitcase, because it wouldn't fit in the trunk, and Haley was dozing in the passenger seat, her head leaning against the glass. They were on their way to the cabin, and Peyton, exercising her right as driver, was blasting her choice of music. They had been driving a few hours, but they still had another hour before they would get there.

They had meant to leave early in the morning, so they would be the first to arrive, but Peyton hadn't wanted to get out of bed, and then Haley had gotten sick again, so they had gotten a late start. Not to mention the fact that Peyton stopped at every other rest stop to go to the bathroom. That really seemed to bug Brooke. She had wanted to get first dibs on the best room, but she was sure the guys would be there by the time they arrived now.

Brooke had made most of the arrangements, talking to both Nathan and Lucas. Due to what had happened recently, she hadn't been sure that either Nathan or Lucas would agree, but they both seemed eager to see the loves of their life. Though neither would admit that. They both pretended that they just needed a vacation. Brooke hadn't exactly let Haley and Peyton know the details of their arrangement. Well, they both knew that Lucas and Nathan would be there, but they didn't know that a snow storm was supposed to be coming in, meaning they would probably get snowed in during the weekend.

Brooke was adamant that the two couples were meant to be together, and she was willing to stoop to anything to get them back together. She was tired of Peyton's stubbornness and Haley's timidness. They both needed to get over it and get back with the one they were meant to be with.

Peyton and Haley could say the same thing about Brooke. That was why they had made sure that a certain someone would be here. They had talked about it a lot, and somehow managed to keep it from Brooke. If she was going to force them into an awkward situation, then they'd do the same to her. None of them had any expectations for the weekend. They didn't want to get their hopes up. Well, Brooke did. She had high expectations, about Peyton and Lucas, and Haley and Nathan. She was going to be upset when she found out that they'd turned the tables on her.

Peyton had left her boys with Karen. They had been disappointed that their dad had moved out again, but they tried their hardest not to let her see it. She loved them for it. She hadn't wanted to leave them alone this weekend, but she really did need the vacation, and she wanted to talk to Lucas. She may have told Haley and Brooke that she wasn't hoping for anything, but the truth was that she knew what she wanted now, and she hoped that Lucas still wanted the same thing.

Seeing the sigh for the rest stop at the next exit, Peyton pulled off the freeway, following the signs until she pulled the car to a park. Haley jerked awake when the car stopped, and Brooke looked up from her cell phone, she had been in the middle of typing out a text and hadn't noticed Peyton getting off the freeway. "Oh no, Peyton, not again. We just stopped like five minutes ago," Brooke groaned, but Peyton ignored her, getting out of the car.

Haley followed and Brooke watched them walk away. She hadn't failed to notice the fact that Haley went to the bathroom almost as much as Peyton, though they were barely drinking anything. She decided now wouldn't be the best time to call her on it. She was pretty sure that Peyton was so absorbed with everything else that she hadn't noticed the signs that Haley was pregnant, not that she could blame the blonde. Peyton did have a lot going on.

Haley made it back to the car first. Brooke had moved to the front seat so she could drive. She wanted to get to the cabin before nightfall. When Haley got in the car she looked at Brooke questioningly, but Brooke spoke before Haley could. "You've got a bun in the oven, don't you?" she asked bluntly. So much for not calling Haley on the things she had noticed. Her curiousity had gotten the best of her.

Haley's eyes widened and Brooke immediately knew she was right. "I wanted Nathan to be the first to know, but I haven't gotten the courage to tell him. I know he's getting settled in Charlotte, so he can play for the Bobcats. This is his dream, and I don't want to make him give it up. I just have to figure out what I'm going to do," she explained.

Brooke's eyes widened and Haley realized the way her words could be taken. Her hands dropped to protectively cover her stomach. "Of course I could never kill it. It might be the only chance I get to have Nathan's baby. I just don't want to pressure him into taking me back. I have to think carefully about the way I'm going to tell him," she said, softly caressing her still flat stomach.

Brooke's eyes returned to normal size and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. She nodded slowly, and then saw Peyton coming back. "We'll talk about this later. You have to tell Nathan," she said sternly, pointing a finger in Haley's face. Haley nodded, but before she could say anything, Peyton reached the car. She opened the driver side door, waiting for Brooke to get back in the backseat. Brooke shook her head at Peyton. "Nope, I don't think so. I want to get there before nightfall, and that's never going to happen if you keep stopping. I'm driving until we get there," she said sternly.

Peyton crossed her arms, but realized that Brooke wasn't giving in. She didn't feel like arguing, and she was actually relieved that Brooke would be driving, so she silently got in the backseat. Brooke nodded triumphantly and smiled, changing the music before she pulled back onto the freeway.

Almost an hour later, the car was stopping again, in front of the cabin. Peyton was grumbling as she got out. She really had to pee again, but Brooke had refused to stop until she reached the cabin. She went to the trunk to grab her bag, but neither Haley nor Brooke would allow it. They each carried their own bags in one hand, and used the other to carry Peyton's suitcase between them.

They were halfway to the cabin, Peyton leading the way, when Brooke looked up, finally noticing the three cars that were already there. She had expected Nathan's sports car, and Lucas's truck. What she was not expecting was the third car, one she also recognized. As she realized where she knew that car from, she froze, in shock. Her end of Peyton's suitcase slipped from her hand, landing heavily on her foot.

Brooke swore loudly, letting go of her own suitcase and reaching down to nurse her foot. She was wearing high heels, which wasn't very smart, because their was already snow on the ground. She tried to set her sore foot back on the ground as she wobbled, but she didn't have control over her balance, and her ankle twisted underneath her as she put her foot down, causing her to fall on her butt. She let out a shriek as the cold snow went up her short white skirt.

Haley set her end of Peyton's bag and her own bag down and rushed to Brooke's side, as did Peyton. Peyton tried to lift Brooke up, but both Haley and Brooke protested. Haley insisted that she could handle it and threw Brooke's arm over her shoulder, helping her to her feet.

There was the sound of a door opening and the three women turned to the cabin. The people inside the cabin had heard the commotion and rushed outside. Everyone froze as the three different couples spotted each other. Peyton's green eyes searched Lucas's shocked blue ones. Haley met her husbands gaze and her grip on Brooke loosened a bit as she fought the urge to throw run to him and throw herself into his arms. Brooke's eyes met Rachels for the first time in months, and they both took in the changes in the other.

There was complete silence for a few minutes, before Peyton doubled over, clutching her stomach. For a split second no one else moved. Then Lucas was running toward her, at her side in an instant. Nathan followed him and Haley waited for Rachel to come support Brooke before she rushed over too. Rachel helped Brooke limp over. They were all gatherered around Peyton, who was still doubled over, and Lucas was right in front of her.

Everyone was speaking at once, but Peyton held up her hand as Lucas tried to pick her up. "I'm fine, I really am. I just need to sit down," she tried to reassure them as she straightened, though the pain was still evident on her face. Lucas hesitated for a minute, then he picked her up bridal style and walked her into the house. Peyton was past the point of trying to protest. Haley and Rachel helped Brooke into the cabin as well, and Nathan walked over to pick up all three bags before following them.

There were two couches in the living room, a loveseat and two recliner chairs. It was a pretty big living room. The cabin itself was pretty big. There were four bedrooms. That was going to be a problem, but none of them were thinking of it right now. Lucas put Peyton on one couch. She laid down and closed her eyes, her hands on her stomach. Lucas hovered over her. After a minute she opened her eyes, she had sensed that he was there, and looked into his. "I'm fine, really, I just needed to rest. The car ride was a long one," she said, trying to wave him away.

He could see that she really was feeling better, so he backed off. He retreated all the way to one of the recliners, on the other side of the room. Haley had helped deposit Brooke on the other couch, then took a seat by Peyton's feet, pulling them into her lap. She needed to rest too, though she wouldn't admit it. Rachel had gone to the kitchen to make Brooke an ice pack for her ankle after helping her elevate her ankle. Nathan had dropped their bags in the center of the room, unsure of where to put them, and then taken the other recliner.

When Rachel came back into the room, she helped Brooke get settled and then sat on the loveseat. All six of them sat there, silently. None of them wanted to be the one to break the silence, because none of them knew what to say. Brooke was the one to break the strange silence this time. "Well, this isn't awkward at all," she muttered, blunt as ever.

It did work though. It seemed to break through the tension just a bit, and Peyton broke it all the way as she started laughing. She sat up a bit more. "Seriously, are we gonna go the whole weekend without saying a word? Brooke, you're the coordinator of this weekend, what's on the agenda for tonight?" she asked.

Brooke contemplated this for a moment, then her eyes lit up. She had a huge smile on her face, dimples emphasized, as she looked over at Haley. "Well, I was thinking we could start the evening with some music. You guys just finished Haley's new song, right? How about a show, Hales?" she tried to look innocent, and she sent Haley her puppy dog eyes. She was jumping right into her plans for the weekend, despite the fact that there was a minor set back. The set back being Rachel.

She decided she wouldn't let it get to her. She would chew out Peyton and Haley later, in private, but for now she was going to make it seem like Rachel wasn't affecting her. She was definately affected, though. Rachel looked even better than she remembered, if that was possible, which made things worse. All the memories flooded back at the sight of the redhead, and she tried not to get buried in the waves of memories. The best way to stay in the present was to put her plan into action.

Haley immediately shook her head, a blush spreading on her cheeks. She knew what Brooke was trying to do. Peyton started prodding her, as did Lucas. Soon Rachel was agreeing that she wanted to hear the song as well. Haley just shook her head adamantly the whole time, because she had not heard a word from the one person whose opinion mattered the most. "Come on, Haley, lets hear it," she finally heard Nathan's voice.

Haley's gaze snapped up to meet his. He had spoken softly, but she would recognise his voice at any volume, even though it had been way too long since she had heard it. Those were the first words he had spoken since seeing her again. Even when he had gathered around Peyton with the rest he hadn't spoken, though he was just as concerned. He couldn't take his eyes off Haley. After a moment of meeting his gaze Haley finally nodded.

She didn't move from the couch. She didn't have any way to play the music, but she could sing it a capella. She took a few deep breaths, closing her eyes as she composed herself. She still didn't like singing in front of people, even if these people were her best friends and her husband.

She let her mind take her somewhere else, pretending she was alone as she prepared to sing. She knew that if she wanted to pursue her music career she was going to have to get over her stage fright, but right now she could do whatever she pleased to prepare herself. Another moment later and she was ready.

"I never promised you a ray of light, I never promised there'd be sunshine everyday, I'll give you everything I have, the good, the bad. Why do you put me on a pedestal, I'm so up high that I can't see the ground below, So help me down you've got it wrong, I don't belong there.

One thing is clear, I wear a halo, I wear a halo when you look at me, But standing from here, you wouldn't say so You wouldn't say so, if you were me And I, I just wanna love you, Oh oh I, I just wanna love you

I always said that I would make mistakes, I'm only human, and that's my saving grace, I fall as hard as I try So don't be blinded See me as I really am, I have flaws and sometimes I even sin, so pull me from that pedestal, I don't belong there.

One thing is clear, I wear a halo, I wear a halo when you look at me, But standing from here, you wouldn't say so You wouldn't say so, if you were me And I, I just wanna love you, Oh oh I, I just wanna love you

Why you think that you know me But In your eyes I am something above you It's only in your mind Only in your mind I wear a I wear a I wear a Halo

One thing is clear, I wear a halo, I wear a halo when you look at me, But standing from here, you wouldn't say so You wouldn't say so, if you were me And I, I just wanna love you, Oh oh I, I just wanna love you

Haaa ha-ha halo(x9)"

When she finished she opened her eyes. Peyton had a grin on her face, as did Brooke. They both started clapping, and Rachel and Lucas joined in. She only wanted one reaction, though. Her eyes met Nathan's, and he had an unreadable expression on his face. He didn't say anything, and after a moment Haley excused herself, leaving the room and tha cabin.

Peyton watched Haley leave, but knew she shouldn't follow. She turned to glare at Nathan, the only person who could make it better. She rolled her eyes at his blank expression. "You can be such a jackass. Go after her Nathan. You guys need to talk," she said. He was still motionless. She groaned and threw a pillow at him. "Go," she said pointing in the direction Haley had gone.

Nathan finally got up, following after his wife. He had missed her, so so much. He didn't care about Chris anymore, or the kiss. All he awnted was to have her back. He had gotten his dream. He was playing for the Bobcats when the season started. Now all he needed was her to share it with. It didn't matter anymore whether or not they could have kids. All those issues seemed petty now. He needed he her back, and he intended to get her back, no matter what it took.

A/N: Okay, this chapter came out really fast, but I think that's because I've had a lot of time to think about it and plan it. I think I'll update Stay My Baby next before returning to my crossover. For those of you who haven't read either of those, you should. So, anyway, review please, and I'll update faster. I'll need all the reviews I can get while working on three different fics.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill, or the song 'Halo,' by Bethany Joy Galeotti, who is amazing, by the way. 


	16. Chapter 16

Nathan ran outside, looking left and right, trying to figure out the direction Haley had gone. At first his gaze brushed right over her, but on his second glance at the landscape, he saw her huddled on the ground, her back to him. Snow had started falling lightly as he cautiously walked toward her. He saw her shoulders shaking with sobs as he crouched down next to her.

He knew they still had a lot of talking to do, but he pulled her into his arms anyway, wanting to do anything to comfort her. He had missed her so much, and he didn't want to fight. All he wanted to do was hold her in his arms, protect her from her pain. That thought was kind of contradictory, though, because he knew he had caused her pain.

Haley didn't even try to push him away. As she felt his touch, and smelled his familiar smell, she forgot about the weeks of fighting, forgot that they were outside in the snow, forgot about Chris and music and everything else that had kept her from Nathan. She knew that she had to come clean about one thing first. Whatever happened after was up to him, but she had to say one thing. "I'm pregnant," she said, pulling away so she could look at his face, gauge his reaction.

Nathan froze, trying to process the words. His first reaction was undeniable happiness. This was what they had been waiting months for. This was what they wanted, wasn't it? If it was, why did Haley look so hesitant. His second reaction was confusion. If they were having a baby, why was this the first time he was hearing about it? His third was horror. Was it really his baby? Haley would have told him as soon as she found out she was pregnant, right? Next, he tried to see her reasoning. Maybe she had been waiting until she next saw him. But why was she looking so scared now?

Haley watched the reactions play over her face, knowing exactly what he was thinking. Suddenly, instead of shaking with the cold, she was shaking with frustration, and hurt. Her tears were not falling from before, but they were renewed, as the hurt intensified. She pulled out of his arms, which were still wrapped around her because he hadn't moved yet, and moved quickly to her feet. She wanted to slap him, but she controlled her anger.

He stood more slowly, watching her reaction and wishing he could take back his thoughts. He knew now that his thoughts had been ridiculous, and she had read them as soon as he had thought them. He wished he could take them back, but something, his foolish pride maybe, kept his mouth shut. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but the time spent apart kept him back as much as it made him long for her.

Haley watched his emotions battle in his eyes, her hands shaking against the anger that had come on suddenly. She waited for him to say something, but he didn't. "I can't believe, after five years together, you would question my fidelity. I can't believe you would even think that I would sleep with someone else, that I could. You know you're the only person I've slept with," she said, the fire flashing in her eyes.

Nathan couldn't stop his immediate reaction. "How should I know that? I mean, you kissed him, didn't you?" he couldn't stop his raising voice. Instantly, he felt her hand slap across his cheek. He couldn't bring his own hand up to ease the sting. He knew he deserved it, but his mind wasn't really on the slap, it was on the hurt he saw in her eyes. Again, he wished he could take it back, but the words stopped in his throat.

After slapping him, Haley stood there for a moment, trying to stop the tears. She was in shock. She really hadn't expected to lose her temper that easily. Just as quickly as the anger had come on, it had dissipated. Now she was just hurt. She brushed past him, but instead of heading for the house, she headed into the surrounding trees. She couldn't face Peyton yet.

OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH OTH

There was silence in the living room of the cabin as the two estranged couples tried to think of something to say. Rachel, her nurturing side getting the best of her, moved toward the couch Brooke was on, lifting the ice and examining Brooke's ankle. She poked and prodded, apologizing when Brooke winced in pain. "The ice is keeping it from swelling, but I don't think it's sprained. Maybe strained. You should probably stay off of it as much as you can, but it should get better in a few days, a week at most," Rachel finally gave her diagnosis.

Brooke stared at her ankle the whole time, unwilling to look up at Rachel. It seemed too much like old times. She forced herself to remember Chase, whom she was supposed to be staying faithful to. She shouldn't be having any thoughts about Rachel. It was too late for that. When Rachel had finished speaking, Brooke made the mistake of looking up, right into Rachel's eyes, and every thought of Chase that had been going through her mind left it. "Thank you," she managed to say in a light, airy voice.

After a moment of silence while they gazed into each others eyes, Rachel broke the eye contact, shrugging off the gratitude. "It is what I went to school for, after all," she said, trying to keep her voice free of emotion as she moved away from Brooke, looking at anything but her as she took a seat on the loveseat again.

The silence began to get awkward. Peyton looked at Lucas, longing for him to speak to her. She still didn't know if it would be worth it, admitting her feelings to him, or if she would just get hurt again. She knew Brooke was glaring at her, so, instead of looking at Brooke, she kept her gaze firmly on Lucas, deciding to be the one to break the silence. "What do you think of Chilarie?" she asked.

Lucas looked up, startled, his blue eyes meeting her green eyes. He had been avoiding her gaze, because he knew it was too soon. He knew that as soon as he looked into her eyes again he would be begging for her to take him back. Only the complete randomness of her statement made him pause as he stared into her green orbs. He cleared his throat so he could speak and looked away from her eyes. "For what, exactly?" he asked, utterly confused.

Peyton let out a small giggle, one that only showed up because of Lucas Scott. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth and avoided Brooke's victorious look. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It wasn't like a simple giggle changed anything. It would take something much bigger than a giggle to change things at this point. "For our daughters name," she clarified, rubbing her hand lightly across her stomach.

Lucas contemplated it for a moment. Before he could respond, though, Rachel couldn't help her outburst. "What kind of a name is that? Where do you even come up with these things?" she said, sending Peyton a look that questioned her sanity. Brooke wanted to throw a pillow at Rachel, maybe send her an angry look, but that would mean looking at her, and possibility making eye contact. She couldn't handle eye contact.

Peyton felt a little disappointed, but laughed it off. She shrugged at Rachel. "I just like it, okay," she stuck her tongue out childishly at Rachel, then turned her gaze back to Lucas. She waited, but he was still contemplating. "What do you think?" she repeated; the suspense was killing her. She wasn't the most patient person when she wasn't pregnant. When she was, she was probably the most impatient.

Lucas laughed. He knew exactly what was going through her mind. That was why he had paused for such a long time before answering. She realized what he had done, and folded her arms over her chest, trying to pretend she wasn't interested in his answer, but she couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. Sitting in the living room, with Lucas and Brooke and Rachel, it was almost like old times, and she desperately wished things could go back to the way they had been.

Lucas laughed all the harder as Peyton's childish reaction. He loved the light he saw in her eyes. He hadn't seen that for far too long, and he didn't know what had brought it back, but he was thankful for whatever it was. "I guess, if you like it, it's an okay name. I get to pick the middle name, though," he declared.

Peyton grinned fully, a real smile that reached her eyes, and Lucas was very happy to see it. So was Brooke. She knew that smile hadn't been there since Lucas had left her, the first time, and she knew exactly what had brought it back. She knew that Peyton had finally figured out how she felt, and that was what brought on Brooke's victorious smile. The giggle earlier had also alerted Brooke to the fact that Peyton had finally accepted that she was meant to be with Lucas. She only hoped that Haley and Nathan were making the same progress.

As if summoned by Brooke's thoughts, Nathan came into the cabin. There was a layer of melting snow dusting his hair and shoulders. The look on his face was one of defeat, and he tried to slink past the living room, but Peyton called him out. "Where's Haley?" she asked, looking back to the door, as if Haley would come in any second.

That got Nathan's attention. He reappeared in the doorway to the living room. "Haley's not here?" he asked, his voice raising in alarm. He had thought she'd be with Peyton, telling the story and getting warmed up. She couldn't be out in the snow still, could she? Peyton sent him a look that answered his question. "We kind of got into a fight, and she ran away from me. I had assumed she'd come back here," he added, the worry more prominent in his voice.

Peyton swung her feet off of the couch, moving to get up. Lucas was by her side quickly, holding her shoulders. "Where do you think you're going? It's freezing out there, and you're pregnant. It's snowing. You're staying right here on this couch," he said, forcing her back into her previous position.

Brooke began to move to get up also. She assumed that the fight had been before Haley had told him about the baby. Nathan couldn't be so stupid as to fight with an hormonal pregnant woman if he knew she was carrying his child, could he? So that meant that she was the only one that knew that Haley was out there in the snow, pregnant, right now. That was why she had to go find her. She began to get up, but Rachel protested. "You're not going out there on that ankle, Brooke. You'll nd up slipping on the ice and breaking it," she said.

Brooke couldn't understand why Rachel cared, it was not something she could dwell on. "Peyton, give me your shoes," she demanded. Peyton was wearing boots, and they had the same shoe size. Rachel began to protest again, as Peyton began to pull off her boots. She tossed the right one to Brooke, who removed the ice and started pulling it on her swollen ankle. "Listen, I have to find her. She's pregnant!" the outburst slipped from Brooke, causing the rest of the room to go silent.

Brooke slapped her hands over her mouth, but she couldn't take the words back. She looked at Nathan, and noticed that he was not surprised. This greatly annoyed her. Instead of pulling the boot onto her foot, which was hurting her ankle more than she'd admit, she chucked it at Nathan. "You ass! You got into a fight with her when you knew she was pregnant?! How could you? You know, she's been waiting to tell you, not because she thought it would fix things, but because she wanted to tell you in person. The only reason I know is because I guessed. I can't believe you let her go off into the snow. You go find her now and you bring her back, before she catches pnemonia. If she gets sick and loses the baby, so help me, Nathan," Brooke was furious, and if her ankle wasn't hurting, she would have walked over to Nathan and started punching him, until he left the cabin.

Peyton was sitting in shock, and Nathan was looking down at the floor ashamed. Brooke continued to shout. "Why are you still here? You're her husband. Go comfort her. Now," she began throwing pillows at him, because they were the closest thing to her. If she had had something heavier, she would have thrown that.

Nathan ducked out of the room and a few seconds later they heard the front door open and close again. Brooke had crossed her arms, but sunk back into the couch. She looked at Peyton, who was looking at Lucas, who was still standing over her, holding her on the couch. Rachel was standing close to Brooke, eying her warily, as if she were going to get up at any moment.

Brooke decided that Nathan and Haley weren't the only couple that needed alone time. There was one problem. To leave Lucas and Peyton alone, she would have to be alone with Rachel. She decided it was a risk she was going to have to take. Besides, if she was being honest, she wanted to know how Rachel was doing. She swung her legs off the couch, reaching for Rachel. "I think I'm going to pick my room, will you help me?" she asked.

Rachel obliged, and soon Peyton was left alone with Lucas. She knew that Brooke had done that on purpose, and vowed to get her back for that. She sighed, putting her feet on the couch again. They felt a lot better now that she had taken her boots off. As if Lucas could read her thoughts, he sat down at the end of the couch, pulling her feet into his lap and rubbing them. She sent him a curious look, which he didn't notice immediately.

She was staring at him, her eyebrows bunched in confusion, as he gently massaged her feet. How had he known that she had wanted her feet rubbed? "I like the name Chilarie. It's different," he said absently as he rubbed. A few moments later, after he received no response, he looked over at her, noticing her confusion. "During the last pregnancy you always loved having your feet rubbed, especially after wearing boots. Did you want me to stop?" he asked cautiously, the motions his hands were making coming to a stop.

Peyton couldn't believe that he remembered that. That had been years ago, yet he recalled it perfectly, as if she had just been pregnant. She realized he was staring, and she shook herself out of her shock. "No, please, don't stop," she realized how that must have sounded, and quickly tried to correct her words. "What I meant was, that feels good, thanks," she paused, then added hesitantly, "I just can't believe that you remembered that," awe in her voice.

Lucas's hands started rubbing her feet again, almost automatically. He looked down, and was silent for a minute before responding. "I remember everything about your first pregnancy. My children have made these last five years the best in my life," he spoke softly. He had really wanted to say that she made the past five years the best of his life, but he knew that ship had long past sailed. She hadn't talked to him since he had left, and he was sure her mind hadn't changed already.

Peyton felt a little rejected, and had to duck her head to hide her blush. She had thought that he remembered that because she had been important to him, but she realized it was just because of the boys. That was all that connected them anymore, their children. With sudden disappointment, she realized he had really given up on them. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but now she couldn't. She wouldn't let him know that she was still in love with him, not if he wasn't still in love with her.

Lucas wondered why she was being so silent. Had he creeped her out by remembering things from so long ago? He couldn't be sure. He kept his head down, pretending to look at her feet, and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. Her head was down, and he wished he hadn't said so much. He had thought she would realize how much she meant to him, but he realized that he had not taken the right tactic. It seemed that she really had given up on him. He had thought this weekend would change things, but realized that he had been wrong. They really were over.

A/N: Peyton and Lucas can be so thickheaded at times. No one ever said love was easy, though, and for them it definately isn't. They will be back together in a few chapters, though, I promise. As for Naley, and Brooke/Rachel, I'm not telling you which couple will be the one to reunite. You'll just have to wait and see. Review, please, and let me know what you think. I really want to know where you guys think this should go. I won't promise to follow your suggestions, but I will promise to at least consider them.

Disclaimer: Still don't own it. Though I did buy the first season on DVD as an early Christmas present. 


	17. Chapter 17

Nathan's gaze swept over the landscape, looking for some sign of the direction Haley had gone. The snow had covered her tracks already, though, so he had no idea. Instead of going the way he knew they had come from earlier, he went the other way, hoping he would find her quick. He didn't want her to get sick. He already felt bad about the things he had said, and he didn't know if she'd forgive him, but he was going to try.

It took him quite a few minutes, but eventually he heard a faint sobbing, and he followed it until he saw Haley, sitting on the ground with her knees up to her chest, her arms wrapped around them and her face resting on them. Her shoulders were shaking slightly, and covered in snow, indicating that she'd been sitting there since she had run away from him. He just stared at her for a moment, his mind on the fact that she was carrying his baby.

He didn't know that she knew he was there until she spoke up. "Nathan, can you please just leave," she spoke through her sobs. She didn't look up, didn't move at all, except for her sobs. She didn't want to start another fight. She just wanted to sob until she couldn't anymore, then go back to the cabin and make Peyton take her home. If Brooke wouldn't allow her to leave she would retreat into one of the cabin's bedrooms for the whole weekend.

Instead of leaving, though, Nathan moved so he was facing her, and crouched down in front of her. He reached out cautiously and she lifted her head slightly to once again ask him to leave. He caressed her cheek as soon as he had access to it, and traced her jaw, lightly moving her chin up so he could look into her eyes, which he had been avoiding.

All the make-up-which, admittedly, wasn't a lot-Brooke had put on her was smeared and smudged all over her face, now frozen in her tear tracks since she seemed to have run out of tears for the moment. Her hair waas also frazzled and messed up because of the moisture and the wind. She also had trails of snot running from her nose, also frozen. Despite all that, as he looked into her eyes, he muttered one word. "Beautiful," he breathed, looking into her eyes.

Haley blushed and looked down again, but she couldn't find the voice to send him away. All their problems didn't disappear with one compliment, but the way he looked so deep into her soul, and still found her beautiful despite the fact that she looked horrible, that had left her breathless.

Nathan had been intending to get on his knees and beg for forgiveness, but beyond that, he hadn't had a clue about what to do to earn her forgiveness. Now, looking at her, he knew that no matter what he said or did, he'd never deserve her forgiveness. He'd just have to do his best to be honest with her. "Hales, I'm not going to give you an excuse and, while I'm most definately am sorry, I know that I don't deserve your forgiveness," he paused.

Haley didn't know where he was going with this, but she looked up at him, listening to what he was saying. He picked up one of her hands with the hand that wasn't cupping her cheek, and tried to warm it. "I'm scared, Haley. I'm scared that I don't deserve you. Actually, I know that I don't deserve you. I never have," he moved his hand from her cheek to place his finger on her lips as she opened her mouth to protest. "It's true. I love you with all my heart, my soul, my everything, and I have for well over five years now, and I will for the rest of eternity, but I'm still scared that one day you'll realize that you deserve so much better than me," he broke off.

He took his hands and ran one through his hair, using the other to place on the ground for balance. Haley didn't like the sudden lack of contact, but she couldn't say anything. After a moment of composing himself, he continued. "I realize that I was the one who pushed you away, and I'm truly sorry about that, but I have a theory about that now," he paused again, and she waited, curiousity now getting the better of her.

She saw the pain he was feeling in his eyes, and this time she was the one who reached out for him, taking one of his hands in both of hers, because his were so much bigger than hers. She marveled at the way one of her hands fit perfectly in his, like they were meant to be together, despite the size difference.

A faint smile graced Nathan's lips as he watched her looking at their hands. "I'm sorry I've been such a jackass, these past few months, and especially today. I think it's a defense mechanism, and I don't want to be that way anymore, but it's like every time I think I'm losing you, I revert back to my old self, to me before you," he said, looking up into her eyes, willing her to understand, even if she couldn't forgive him.

Haley's eyes sofened and she didn't know what to say for a moment. She paused, searching for the right words. "I know you're not perfect, Nathan. I'm not either. I don't expect you to be perfect. I mean, I have my days where I'm in a bad mood too, and you can expect them to increase as these next few months especially go by," she took one of her hands from his, placing it protectively over her stomach.

He looked into her eyes, reaching out hesitantly, as if asking for permission. She immediately understood what he meant, and nodded, a smile forming on her lips. He placed the hand on her stomach. There wasn't a bump yet, but just knowing that they had created life, and it was in her stomach, caused a huge grin to light up his face. She watched him for a moment, happy to know that he was happy about this. He looked up at her again, a more serious look on his face. "So where does this leave us?" he asked, leaving the decision strictly up to her.

Haley thought about it, placing her hand over his on her stomach and she began absently playing with her fingers. "Well, I guess I can forgive you, if you forgive me," she finally said, looking up into his eyes, their fingers laced together on her stomach. She knew things wouldn't be perfect, but they never had been. What made everything worth it, was that she loved him, and she knew he loved her, and now they were finally getting their family. The rest would work itself out.

He frowned, hard to do, considering how happy he was in that moment, to know that she had forgiven him and that they could be together again. "Well, Mrs. James-Scott, I'm not quite sure I can do that," he said. Haley's brow furrowed, wondering where he was going with that. "I'm not sure I can forgive you unless you let me take you inside right now, before you freeze to death," he finished.

Haley shivered then, as if emphasizing the point Nathan was making, when a particularily harsh wind blew through the clearing they were in. She nodded, noticing, not for the first time, the goosebumps on her arms. She waited for him to get to his feet and help her up, but as he tried to lift her up into his arms, she stopped him, staying on her own two feet. He raised his eyebrows at her. "I want to do one thing first," she replied to his unasked question. Then she reached up, standing on her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and crushed his lips down to hers.

It took Nathan only a few seconds to respond. He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her higher and holding her tight against him as he deepened the kiss. When they finally broke it, they were both breathless, but Haley didn't pause to catch her breath as she moved her lips along his jaw, down his neck and back up again. It wasn't until she shivered again that Nathan insisted that they stop. "As much as I'd love to continue this, you really need to get out of the cold," he informed her once he had caught his breath as he tried to gently push her away.

Haley nodded, but continued her cycle, her arms subtly tightening around his neck. Her lips made it back to his mouth and she kissed him again. The next time they came up for air, Haley's hands were wrapped in his hair, holding him even closer. "Haley, I really don't want you to get sick," he murmured, but his voice was weaker, and he made no moce to let go. She nodded once more, looking up into his eyes, but she also made no motion to let go, waiting until their breathing evened out again before once again closing the distance between their lips.

The third time the broke for air, Nathan noticed the snow had started falling harder, and Haley's jaw was quivering a bit as she shivered. He moved his hands from her waist, to the back of his neck, to remove her hands and he took a step back so he could think clearly. He removed his jacket and helped her into it before scooping her up into his arms, walking back in the direction of the house. Haley cuddled up into his warm embrace and rested her head on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Lucas was still rubbing Peytons feet silently when Haley and Nathan entered the cabin. She sent him a look the minute the door closed behind them, and he reluctantly set her on her feet. She reached up to give him one more kiss before turned to find Peyton. She purposefully kept his jacket on as she walked into the living room and she stopped in the doorway as she saw Peyton and Lucas on the couch.

Nathan bumped into Haley because she had stopped so abruptly. He looked around her and noticed why she had stopped. He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck, right beneath her ear, before whispering into it. "I'll massage anything but your feet," he muttered before placing another kiss on her neck.

She blushed at his implications, but barely turned to give him a smile before pulling away. Peyton had noticed her, and she had a look on her face that was halfway between angry and hurt. Haley knew what that look meant. Peyton knew that Haley was pregnant. There was about to be an intense conversation between the two pregnant best friends.

Peyton noticed the closeness between Haley and Nathan and while she was glad that they had gotten back together, she still had some issues to work out with her best friend. She pulled her feet out of Lucas's lap with some reluctance. "Will you and Nathan please leave me alone with Haley," she spoke the words to Lucas, but her eyes never left Haley's.

Lucas stood and followed his brother out of the living room, both of them realizing that the best friends needed to be alone, not to mention the fact that neither of them wanted to get on Peyton's bad side while she was pregnant. Haley hesitantly walked over and took Lucas's spot on the couch, wary of any sudden movements. Since Peyton's was in such a hormonal state, Haley was quite surprised that there was no yelling yet.

Peyton sighed, well aware of Haley's wariness. She didn't really feel like exploding, though, so she offered a bit of a smile as a peace offering. The hurt was winning out against the anger at Haley not telling her. Even that wasn't lasting much, because she knew Haley had just wanted to tell Nathan first. "I just wish I had been able to figure it out," she finally said, looking down at her hands, ashamed now.

Haley looked at her best friend curiously, not getting it for a few seconds. By the time the lightbulb went on, Peyton had already started talking again. "I mean, looking back, all the signs are there. I just wish I had been able to figure it out like Brooke did," she paused, taking in a deep breath and then letting it out. "I feel like such a bad friend because I didn't recognize the signs, yet they had just happened to me," her words were soft when she continued.

Haley scooted closer to Peyton and then pulled her into a hug. "Oh, Peyt, don't feel like that. It took me a surprisingly long time to figure it out as well, and it really shouldn't have. I wish I could've told you as soon as I found out. I wanted to. That was my gut reaction, but my brain was a little more reasoning and I knew I had to tell Nathan first," she explained.

"Peyton nodded against Haley's shoulder. "I know. I know you had to tell Nathan first. Of course you did. He's your husband. I just wish I had realized it, like Brooke did," she said, pulling away and attempting a smile at Haley. She really didn't feel bad about the situation anymore, she understood.

Haley could tell that Peyton really did accept it, but there was still something bothering her. Haley looking closer, trying to guess what it was, but not really coming up with anything, except that it probably had something to do with Lucas. "What's wrong? What did Lucas do now?" she asked, one eyebrow raised in interest.

Peyton heaved a sigh. She really hadn't wanted to talk about Lucas. She knew she had no choice, though. Haley would force the subject out of her sooner or later. "It's nothing, really. Nothing I didn't already know, anyway," she said, trying to dismiss the topic with an offhand motion.

Haley knew there was more to it. She looked closer at her best friend. Peyton shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of the examination. Finally, Haley seemed to pinpoint what it was. "You've realized your true feelings, haven't you? You've finally admitted to yourself that you're still hopelessly in love with Lucas," her voice grew more excited as Peyton blushed, proving Haley right.

Peyton was quick to shake her head, hating the fact that she had started blushing. She knew that Haley was about to get more excited and possibly alert everyone in the cabin. "You can not tell him, Haley James-Scott! I swear to God, if you speak about this to him I will never speak to you again," she said, trying to be menacing.

Haley made an innocent face, looking at Peyton like, 'Who, me?' Peyton kept her glare steady on her best friend. Finally Haley sighed, dropping the innocent expression and raising her hand, drawing a circle around her head like a halo. "I promise I will be a good girl. You know Brooke will tell him, though, right?" she added with a smirk.

Brooke limped into the living room at this point, barely catching the end of Haley's statement, but knowing exactly what they were talking about. "You mean tell Lucas that Peyton is still in love with him. Damn right, I will. He needs to know Peyton, and if you're going to be too stupid to tell him yourself, I'll do it for you," she threatened.

Peyton grimaced, knowing the threat was all too real. If Brooke thought Peyton was being stupid about not telling, she would open her mouth and blab herself. "No, neither of you will tell him. It's too late. Maybe I'll tell him once we get back to reality, but here we're in too close quarters. I don't want to make this weekend awkward," she stood, swiftly closing the subject. "Now, aren't there only four bedrooms in this place? I best get one to myself," she mumbled, walking away.

A/N: What do you guys think about the baby name? I'm up for suggestions, but I actually kind of like it. I'm kind of liking weird names right now. So, let me know what you think, about the name, about Brooke and Rachel and whether they should be together or not, or about whatever you want to tell me. I don't really care what you talk about in reviews, just so long as you leave them.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. 


	18. Chapter 18

Peyton realized as she was walking away that there were no rooms left. Brooke had chosen a room already, and Nathan, Lucas and Rachel had all chosen rooms before she had even arrived. She also knew Haley would most definately be rooming with Nathan, know that they were back together. She was sure that Haley's hormone levels had to be up because of the fact that she was pregnant and she hadn't been with Nathan in a long time.

That meant she had to sleep on the couch. When they reserved the cabin, they only got four bedrooms because there were no available three bedroom cabins. They had thought they could use the extra room in case someone wanted to tag along, or something. They hadn't imagined that they would be in the situation they were now in. Instead of three couples there was one couple, and four singles. Which meant that one person would end up sleeping on the couch.

Peyton surpressed a sigh. She knew that if she asked, Lucas would give her his bedroom, but that wasn't fair. He had arrived before her, so he should get the room, which meant she had to take the couch. She continued down the hallway, now looking for the linen closet, so she could make up the couch. When she found it, she pulled out a sheet and comforter before turning and walking back down the hallway in the direction she came.

She brushed past Brooke and Haley on her way back to the living room, because she knew she'd get nothing but grief from them. So she avidly ignored them, even when they followed her into the living room. She just began putting the sheet on the couch, biting her lip as she waited for the verbal beating she was about to receive from Brooke.

Haley could tell what was going on instantly, and she knew the exact way to handle it. Brooke opened her mouth to start arguing with Peyton, but Haley tapped her on the arm, getting her attention. "I've got this," she mouthed silently to Brooke, hoping that Brooke would take the hint. Brooke paused for a minute, but then she nodded. "Hey, I'm going to go to my room and get settled, but then I'm heading to the hot tub. If you want to join me, I'll be out there in probably twenty minutes," she said, before leaving Haley and Peyton alone in the living room.

Peyton sat down on the couch once she had made it, picking up the remote and turning on the TV to stop whatever comment she knew was about to come from Haley. Haley was not discouraged by the TV. She took a seat right next to Peyton on the couch, her body faced toward her best friends. When she realized that Peyton, who was staring at the TV without seeing it, flipping through the channels, really wasn't going to say anything, she cleared her throat.

Peyton sighed, turning to look at her best friend, who was still staring at her. She clicked the TV off and set the remote down again. There was nothing on, really, and she hadn't wanted to watch TV anyway. "What do you want, Hales? Just say what ever it is that's on your mind right now. Come on, get it over with," she said with a roll of her eyes. Still, she bit her lip, waiting for Haley's comment.

Haley smiled innocently at Peyton. "I really don't know what you're talking about," she lied. Peyton just glared at her best friend, crossing her arms over her chest, still waiting. Haley couldn't stop the laughter. "Fine, fine, you're right," she finally conceeded as the laughter died down. Peyton wasn't laughing. "Well, I guess I'm just wondering why you're sleeping on the couch," she said, still playing somewhat innocent.

Peyton shook her head slightly, trying to decide how to answer. "That wasn't a question," she finally said. Haley just sent her best friend a look. Peyton rolled her eyes back. "Fine. I'm sleeping on the couch because there are no more rooms. Rachel, Nathan and Lucas all arrived before us. You're rooming with Nathan. Brooke already claimed a room. So, I'm sleeping on the couch," she said with a shrug, trying to play it off like it was nothing.

Haley eyed Peyton for a moment, trying to find the right words. She chuckled lightly at her best friend, shaking her head slightly. "If you want to tell yourself that, Peyton. If you really believe that, go right on ahead and sleep on the couch," she said. She turned away from Peyton and this time she picked up the remote, turning on the TV and then flicking through the channels. She had to hold back her smile as she waited for Peyton's response.

Peyton flicked her gaze between her best friend and the TV. She was extremely curious about what exactly Haley was referring to, but she knew that Haley was waiting for her to ask. Finally she decided that she didn't care if it was exactly what Haley wanted. "What exactly are you talking about, Haley James?" she asked, an eyebrow kinked as she waited for an answer.

Haley dropped her nonchalant act and let a mock-angry expression replace it. She placed the TV remote back down on the coffee table and turned to face her best friend once more. "It's Haley James-Scott, thank you very much," she informed Peyton. Peyton stayed silent. "I was merely saying, Peyton, that if you want to believe that Lucas won't give up his room so you can sleep in the bed, just go right on believing that. Heck, he'd probably even let you sleep in the bed with him. I'm sure both of you would love that," she continued, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Peyton grabbed a couch pillow and hit Haley with it. This started a mini-pillow fight between Peyton and Haley. It was stopped as Lucas walked into the living room. "What is going on here?" he asked, a little shocked. Peyton, at the sound of his voice, froze. She could feel her heart beating faster, just because she was in his presence. She put the pillow down, but she didn't answer.

Haley laughed, putting her pillow down as well. Peyton knew exactly what Haley was going to say before she said it, but there was nothing she could do to stop it. Her eyes widened as she looked over at Haley, shaking her head, but Haley spoke anyway. "Well, Peyton and I were in a bit of a disagreement. She wants to sleep on the couch, and she's too scared to ask you if she can sleep with you," she said, an amused smile on her face.

Both Peyton and Lucas's eyes widened at Haley's wording. Peyton started stuttering, but she couldn't quite manage to spit out any words, and Lucas was just plain speechless. Haley noticed both of their reactions and rolled her eyes. "Gosh, guys, get your minds out of the gutter. I meant sleep in the same bed. What you do in that bed is none of my business," she held up her hands in surrender, an innocent smile on her face.

Peyton sent Haley a glare. She was so going to have to pay for that. Before Peyton could say anything though, Lucas spoke up. "No, you're not sleeping on the couch. As the mother of my children, I'm supposed to take care of you. I know you're too stubborn to take the bed for youself, but at least sleep in it with me," he paused, taking in her expression. "I promise, I'll keep my hands to myself if you do," he added in a teasing tone.

Peyton thought about it for a long moment. Both Haley and Lucas were staring at her, waiting for her reaction. She knew she'd never hear the end of it, from any of them, if she chose to sleep on the couch now. So she just relented, with a nod of her head. "Okay, but I reserve the right to kick you off if your snoring gets too loud," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

Lucas's sent her a playful glare, taking her suitcase from her as she tried to carry it down the hall to the bedroom. He didn't snore, and they both knew it. Peyton still loved to tease him about snoring, though. It was an inside joke between the two of them. "Well, I promise not to snore, if you don't talk in your sleep," he teased right back.

She glared at him, and whacked his arm lightly. "I do not talk in my sleep," she denied, even though they both knew that she did. He didn't say anything, he actually thought it was really cute when she talked in her sleep, and they reached his room. He set her suitcase on the floor at the end of the bed. She opened it and began digging through it as he stretched out across the bed. She realized she had left her pillow in the car. She looked up at him, smiling sweetly.

Lucas froze as he took in her expression. He knew that look. After five years of being with her he definately knew what was coming when she sent him that look. He sighed, sitting up. She was about to ask him a favor. "What do you need me to do for you, Peyt?" he asked, resigned. He pretended to be bothered by the fact that she always asked him for things, but the truth was, he would do anything for her, so it really wasn't a big deal.

Peyton bit her lip, nervously. "Would you go get my pillow out of the car for me? I kind of forgot to get it," she looked up at him, her big green eyes instantly making him nod. He would have said yes to anything she asked him. When he left the room, she pulled her bikini out of the suitcase. She could have waited for the pillow, but she had wanted him out of the room so he wouldn't see what was in the suitcase. She wasn't ready for the confrontation that would come with him seeing that yet.

By the time Lucas entered the room, carrying Peyton's thick goose feather pillow, she was already wearing her bikini, pulling her straight blonde locks up into a pony tail so she could go meet Brooke at the hot tub. Haley had come by and said that she'd be joining them as well. Lucas was frozen in the doorway, staring at her. Her bikini allowed her baby bump, which was really smaller than it probably should be, to show, but he still thought she was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen.

Peyton felt a little flattered at the fact that he was just staring at her, but she tried to pretend she didn't notice. She had only put on her old emerald green bikini, which he had seen her in plenty of times. She turned away from the mirror as she finished fussing with her hair. She smiled embarrassedly as she saw him, still staring at her, transfixed, and bit down on her lip. "I'm about to hit the hot tub, with Brooke and Haley," she explained, approaching him and taking the pillow, tossing it on the bed. "Thanks," she added before brushing past him, leaving the room.

When Peyton's bare skin touched Lucas's bare arm as she pushed past him, both of them felt an electric shock go through their bodies. They froze, turning slowly to look at each other. Peyton's body was pressed up against Lucas's and he was looking down, into her eyes. Blue eyes met green and Peyton had to remind herself how to breath. Lucas's breath also caught in his throat due to how close they were. They began moving even closer, their lips just millimeters from touching as their eyes drifted shut.

Then there was the sound of Brooke's voice, shouting through the cabin. "P. Sawyer, if you don't get your skinny ass out here I'm coming in after you." Brooke was at the back door to the cabin, calling for Peyton to come out to the hot tub. Both sets of eyes snapped open again, and the moment was broken. Peyton murmured some apology, moving away from Lucas and practically running down the hall, leaving him still stunned in the doorway to their room.

She hurried outside, to the covered area where the hot tub was. There was still snow falling. In fact, the snowfall seemed to be increasing. Brooke and Haley were already in the hot tub. Peyton hurried right in, because it was freezing outside of the water. The girls settled into the water and began chatting. They had been out there for about twenty minutes when Rachel opened the back door, exiting the house, wearing her bikini. "Mind if I join you guys?" she asked, her question directed to all three, but her eyes never leaving Brooke's.

Haley and Peyton both said that they didn't mind, and then they turned to look at Brooke as well, who still hadn't said anything. Brooke was silent as she looked back at Rachel, at least, she was silent until Peyton gave her a swift kick to the shin. "Ow," Brooke murmured, looking and reaching down to comfort her shin. She shot a glare at Peyton before looking at Rachel. "It's cool if you join us," she said.

They chatted for a bit longer, then Brooke came up with a good idea. "I have a bottle of vodka I brought with me. Let's get the guys out here and have some fun," she said, getting out of the hot tub to get the alcohol and the guys. She was gone before anyone could say anything. Peyton called out to her, but Brooke obviously didn't hear her. Peyton hoped that Brooke would remember that Peyton couldn't drink alcohol.

About ten minutes later, the guys came out, clad only in swim trunks, and each carrying two drinks. Brooke followed, also carrying two drinks, with two bottles tucked under her arm. Nathan got in, handing one drink to Haley and keeping the other for himself. Lucas also got in, handing one cup to Rachel and keeping the other. Brooke set the two bottles on the ground, then handed one of her cups to Peyton before getting in as well. Peyton sniffed the drink, one eyebrow raised. "Brooke, I can't drink vodka," she said, handing the cup back.

Brooke took the cup. "Oops, that one's mine," she said, handing Peyton the other cup she had been holding. "That's yours. You and Tutor Wife get to share a bottle of sparkling cider," she said, handing over the bottle she had been carrying that wasn't vodka. Haley sniffed her cup, noting that her drink was also non-alcoholic before taking a cautious sip. She smiled at Nathan before moving over, settling in on his lap. Brooke ignored this. "The rest of us have vodka. We're all going to play a game of I Never," she informed the group.

Peyton, Haley and Lucas all groaned, clearly not wanting to play and Nathan and Rachel just shrugged, clearly not caring either way. Although, Nathan was kind of preoccupied with his wife on his lap. He began kissing her neck, causing her to moan again, this time in pleasure. Brooke splashed water at the couple. "It's either I Never or Truth or Dare, guys," she informed the group.

Peyton was the one to choose. "Alright, we'll play I Never. There is no way I'm getting into a game of Truth or Dare with you guys," she said, remembering about two years ago, when they had gotten together and played a game of Truth or Dare. That was not a time she wanted to relive. Maybe if she was still with Lucas, but she didn't want to be forced to answer questions truthfully, or follow any dares. Not now.

Brooke grinned, her dimples showing. "I'm glad you see it my way," she said, and the rest of them now looked resigned to playing. "I'll go first," she announced, then paused to think about what she was going to say. "I Never...hmm, this is hard," she laughed. Then the rest of them could practically see the lightbulb go on as she came up with one. "I Never have been in love with one of my best friend's ex," she said triumphantly.

Both Haley and Peyton downed their glasses. Peyton was in love with Lucas who had dated Brooke, although Brooke didn't specify, so she could have meant the past, so the fact that she drank didn't give anything away. Haley, of course, was in love with Nathan, who had dated Peyton. Rachel looked confused. "Okay, so I know you were in love with Lucas, who was Brooke's ex," she gestured to Peyton, then pointed at Haley as she asked her next question. "But whos ex were you in love with?"

Haley grinned at Nathan, and then turned to Rachel. "Brooke never told you?" she kinked an eyebrow at Brooke, who just shrugged in reply, then she turned back to Rachel. She had Nathan's hand in hers and she was playing with his fingers at the surface of the water. "Well, Peyton and Nathan used to date, while Brooke and Lucas were still together, in the beginning of our freshmen year of college," she said.

Rachel was shocked. The things that these people went through still continued to surprise her, and she had been around for most of it. There was still the part of their beginning as a group of friends that she didn't know as much about though. Peyton filled her glass and Haleys and decided to let Haley go. Haley thought for a moment. Finally she shrugged, just saying one to say it. "I Never have kissed a member of the same sex as me," she said with a shrug. It was the best she could think of right now.

Both Rachel and Brooke drank, of course, but the real surprise was when Peyton drained her glass for the second time. This time Rachel wasn't the only one who was crusious. "Ooh, Peyton, do tell. Who did you kiss and when?" Brooke aske the question that was on everyone's mind. Even Haley didn't know. She was just as curious as the rest of them, and she was quite surprised.

Peyton smiled sheepishly, noticing that all eyes were on her. She gave a shrug, and then launched into the story. "In high school there was this girl, named Anna, who moved to our town during junior year. She and her family had been forced to move because some rumors circulated about her at her old high school. Anyway, I befriended her," Peyton said with a shrug.

Haley was with Peyton up until that point. She remembered Anna, and the time that she had gone to their high school. Anna had started to hang out with them, and she had actually been pretty cool. They had gotten along quite well until one day Anna said she was moving again. She couldn't remember why Anna had moved so abrubtly, and truth be told, she never really thought about her much. Anna had only been in their lives for a few months.

Peyton looked at Haley and could tell she remembered Anna, but Haley couldn't think of any time that Peyton and Anna would have kissed. Haley was surprised that Peyton had never told her. "Well, Anna was lesbian, but she was afraid to come out to her parents. One night we were hanging out and she kissed me, then ran. I managed to find her the next day and get her to talk to me. I told her I really didn't care who she liked, but I just don't roll that way. She asked me not to tell, that's why I never told you, Hales. It really wasn't that big of a deal," she finished.

There was silence for a long moment. Then Brooke shrugged, pouring more vodka into her glass and Rachels while Peyton refilled her own glass. Since Peyton had already had to drink twice, they all decided that it was Peyton's turn. She thought about it for a minute. "I Never..." she trailed off, trying to think of one that would get the guys involved. "I Never left the one I loved because of a misunderstanding," she wanted to say. The truth was, though, if she said that, all of them would have to take a drink. So she just said an easy one, and the game went on with little drama.

A/N: So, what do you think. I know, I know. Leyton's not back together yet. I promise, pretty soon there will be a confrontation. They'll be getting together soon enough. I think I'm going to have the next chapter have a Brooke and Rachel interaction, though I haven't decided what will happen between them yet. After all, Brooke is still with Chase right now. We'll just have to see how it goes. Sorry it took me so long to get an update up for this chapter, I'll try to be better about it. Please review, tell me what you think should happen. Reviews do help me. Thanks.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction. 


	19. Chapter 19

Peyton awoke with a start, and instantly felt the strong arms wrapped around her. She had gone to sleep last night back-to-back with Lucas. How the hell did she end up laying with her head on his chest, his arms wrapped around her. She couldn't bring herself to be the first one to break the embrace, though, so she just closed her eyes again, snuggling closer to Lucas's chest, not willing to admit she was awake. She took a deep breath of his scent, and tried to drift back to sleep, deciding that sleep was better than reality.

Lucas woke up just moments after her, and it took him a moment to realize she was in his arms. He looked down at her, wondering exactly when that happened. If he could recall, they had only been sleeping next to each other when they had gone to sleep that night. He wondered briefly who had made contact first, but he decided he didn't really care. He was just glad that she was there, how didn't matter. He didn't want to be the one to wake up and pull away, so he leaned down, pressed a light kiss on the top of her head, breathing in the scent of her hair, and then tried to go back to sleep. She would have to be the one to pull away.

A few minutes later, there was a squeal somewhere in the cabin. They both tensed up, but neither of them moved. They were both awake, and they were both aware that the other was awake, but still, neither one of them wanted to move. Finally, Peyton looked up at him, deciding to speak. "What the hell happened last night? I thought I told you to stay on your side of the bed," she said before she reluctantly pulled out of his embrace, sitting up.

Lucas sat up also, taking note of where they were. "In case you didn't notice, you're the one who crossed the line. I was the one who was drunk last night," he paused, thinking for a moment. "Why, Miss Sawyer, I think you took advantage of me," he teased, Before she could reply, although she did smack him lightly in the chest, there was another squeal, this time closer to the door of their room.

Peyton groaned, recognizing the voice. She stood up, grabbing her robe and slipping it on. She was wearing a tank top and a pair of boxers, but it was cold in the house, hence the robe. Once she had it tied around her, she slipped out of the room, looking for Brooke. The sound seemed to have been coming from the front door, so that was the direction Peyton headed. As soon as she spotted Brooke, she noticed the reason for the squealing. "Oh, my God," she couldn't help but yell herself.

The front door of the cabin was open, but it was blocked out by a wall of white. Apparantly, it had never stopped snowing the night before. After about a half-hour in the hot tub the group had taken their game inside, because the snow had seemed to intensify, but they hadn't expected to be snowed in by morning. Brooke looked at Peyton as she noticed her approach. "Help me get the door closed," she said. When Brooke had opened the door, a whole mound of snow had fallen into the cabin, making it impossible to close the door again.

Peyton just stared in awe for a moment, unsure of what to do. Brooke gave her a swift kick to the shin, effectively snapping her out of her reverie. "Ouch. Damn, Brooke, what the hell?" Peyton mumbled, leaning down to soothe her shin. Then she moved forward, trying, as Brooke was, to shove the snow back outside so they could slam the door shut. "Here, you push the snow, I'll push the door," Peyton suggested.

They started working together to get the door closed, but Peyton was not the only one to be awoken by Brooke's squeals. "Holy crap," they heard Haley's voice and looked back toward the hallway, where Haley, Nathan, Lucas and Rachel were all standing, just watching them. Peyton rolled her eyes, picked up a hand full of snow, and chucked it at Haley, effectively getting her to close her mouth.

Still, the other four remained frozen in the mouth of the hallway, as Brooke and Peyton worked to close the door. Peyton, being pregnant and hormonal, abruptly got frustrated. "Damnit, guys, don't just stand there like idiots. We could use a little help here," she yelled, causing them all to jump, and they finally move forward. Together, all six of them managed to get the door closed. Peyton leaned against it, sliding into a sitting position when it was closed. There was silence. "I guess we're not going outside today," she said sarcastically, breaking the silence.

Everyone began to disperse then. Haley took Nathan back to their bedroom. Lucas, who was only in boxers, went to put a shirt on, and Rachel went to the bathroom to shower. Brooke rubbed at her eyes, muttering something about going back to sleep as she retreated down the hallway as well. Peyton was left alone, sitting on the floor in front of the door.

She pulled herself to her feet, in dire need of some tea, since she had stopped drinking coffee because of the pregnancy. She had brought some with her, so she walked down the hall, poking her head in the bedroom to check if Lucas was in there. He was digging around in his suitcase, looking for something to put on. She wanted to slip back out and forget the tea, but she knew that he was aware of her presence. So, she pushed the door open the rest of the way, and walked over to her suitcase.

She was trying not to look at him too much, but she had never been able to resist the sight of his bare chest, especially when she was pregnant. He turned to face her and she froze, forgetting what she was looking for the moment she fully caught sight of his chest. He was holding a shirt and a pair of pajama pants becase it was too cold in the house now to wear anything less, and he raised his eyebrow as he realized where her gaze had landed. "Whatcha doin' Blondie?" he asked, an amused tone to his voice.

Peyton swallowed loudly, and forced her gaze off his chest and onto his face. He had moved so he was standing right in front of her suitcase. She had to think to remember his question, and it took her another moment to remember the reason she had come into the room. She pushed past him, thankful that her robe was longsleeved, so she her skin wouldn't brush against his bare chest. She probably would have lost it then, like she almost had last night. She cleared her throat as she realized he was still waiting for an answer. "Oh, I was just about to make some tea," she said, trying to sound casual, and not like she wanted to jump him.

Lucas smirked; he knew exactly what her tone meant. He just nodded like he didn't, though. He knew that she only wanted to jump him because her hormone levels were high, due to the pregnancy. He didn't just want something physical with her, though, he wanted the whole thing, and he had realized that she didn't want it all with him. So he sighed and watched as she grabbed her tea bags, then scurried out of the room.

Peyton hurried down the hall. It hurt her to know that no matter how much she wanted him, all of him, she'd never get it again. The words he said and wrote meant nothing if the actions canceled them out. It also hurt her to know she was the only one to blame for his feelings changing. If she had only said yes, things would be different. She'd probably be married by now, and she wouldn't have to know she'd let her soul mate slip away.

With a shake of her head, Peyton tried to rid herself of these thoughts. She reached the kitchen and looked around in the cupboards until she found a tea pot. She put some water in it and then put it on to boil. She desperately needed a distraction, or she'd go right back into that room and tell Lucas how she felt, the fact that he doesn't love her anymore be damned. She decided cooking breakfast would be the perfect distraction. Her only sketch book was in her suitcase, and she wasn't going back in that room, so the next best thing to do was cook.

She put on some coffee, because she knew the others, Haley being the exception, would prefer coffee to tea. Then she looked in the refrigerator and cupboards, gauging what there was to make. She pulled out some eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, stuff to make bisquits and, to her delight, sausage. She began cooking, and, soon after, Haley came out, lured by the smells. She had finished with Nathan, and was now craving something to eat. He had fallen back to sleep for the time being. "What are you doing, bestie?" she asked Peyton.

Peyton looked up, noticing her best friend. She hadn't heard Haley's approach. She smiled at her best friend, deciding some good, old-fashioned girl talk would be the perfect accompanyment to cooking to get her mind off of Lucas. So she gestured for Haley to sit down on a stool at the island so she could talk to her. "I am cooking, and you and me are going to talk. I don't care what it's about, but you have like five seconds to think of a topic that has nothing to do with Lucas," she said.

Haley paused for a minute, but she did come up with something, and the two best friends chatted away while Peyton cooked enough breakfast for everyone. She really liked laughing and talking with her best friend. Actually, both of them enjoyed it. It was nice to not think about all the drama that had been surrounding them recently. They talked a lot about their babies. "You know, since we're in laws, now, our kids can't grow up and get married, as we'd always planned," Peyton pointed out, joking but serious at the same time.

Haley just laughed it off, because she realized that Peyton was almost done with breakfast. Peyton was about to send Haley to tell everyone that there was food, but Brooke entered the kitchen then. She inhaled deeply, smelling the food, then snuck a piece of bacon off the plate that Peyton was carrying to the table, before shouting for everyone else. "Y'all better come eat before the two pregnant women eat it all," she had yelled.

Brooke was laughing as she helped Peyton and Haley move the food to the table, but neither Peyton nor Haley were laughing with her. "I do not eat that much," Haley protested, as Peyton glared at Brooke, saying, "I'm the cook, I could just as easily say you can't have anything, B. Davis. You better watch it." Brooke laughed off both of their protests, though, making herself a plate and taking a seat.

The others slowly filed in, and the whole group sat down for breakfast. After everyone ate, they all went to do their own thing. Haley once again dragged her husband to the bedroom. Rachel disappeared to her room to do something. Brooke eyed Lucas, without him noticing, and then sent Peyton a look that said 'You two should talk,' before she excused herself. Peyton and Lucas were left alone to clean the kitchen. "I'll wash, and you dry," he offered, knowing she preferred drying the dishes.

Peyton smiled hesitantly, because she realized that was something else he remembered about her, and then she took her place next to him, dishtowel in hand so she could dry the dishes as he gave them to her. As they washed the dishes, they talked, but only of inconsequential things. When they were finished, they continued to spend the rest of the day together. He was only writing, while she drew, both of them silent, but they were in each other's presence, and that was what mattered.

It was getting to be evening when Peyton put her sketch book down. She took a deep breath, deciding to start a conversation. They were both sitting in the room they were sharing, each on their own side of the bed. When she put down her sketch book, he set aside his laptop, waiting for whatever she had to say. "I, um, well, I have a doctors appointment this week. You're still coming with me to that, right?" she asked. They hadn't talked about it since she had kicked him out, so she just wanted to be sure.

Lucas looked surprised at her question. "Of course I want to come, as long as you want me there. I want to be in our kids lives, Peyton, even if you don't want me in your life anymore. You know I'd never want to turn into my mother," he said, a little bit of hurt leaking into his tone. He really thought she had known him better than that. He had always loved to go to her appointments.

Peyton bit her lip, but not out of nervousness this time. The words he said were ringing through her mind. 'even if you don't want me in your life anymore.' How could he even think that? It took her a moment to find her voice, then she had to wait another moment to compose herself, so the hurt she was feeling wouldn't appear when she spoke. "How do you come to the conclusion that I don't want you in my life when you're the one who's left me, twice?" she tried to make her voice sound calm, like she really didn't care.

Lucas was shocked by her tone. She had been silent for so long that he hadn't been sure she was going to answer at all. Her calm, quiet words hurt more than if she had started yelling at him, though. The question angered him, however, and he stood, running a hand through his hair. "No, Peyton, I only left because you gave up on us, so don't go blaming this on me," he couldn't help the anger that seeped into his tone, even though he didn't want to harm their daughter by causing her stress. They wouldn't be able to get out of the cabin to take her to a doctor if she got too stressed.

Peyton stood up as well, just to be moving. His words hurt her more than she would have imagined, because he was blaming all of this on her, but she decided to cover up the hurt with the anger she was also feeling. "So it's all my fault, now? Well, let me tell you something, Lucas, I didn't say no," she yelled, extremely frustrated, because he didn't seem to get that. "I wanted forever, and you couldn't wait one simple little year. Some stupid insecurity that I've never understood, caused you to walk out on me," she pointed out.

Lucas turned away from her, his anger getting the best of him, and he didn't want to do anything he'd regret. "Damnit, Peyton. Do you know how to get forever?" he asked, sarcastically. He didn't give her time to answer before continuing. "When someone asks you to marry him, you say yes. You don't say not now and then call him insecure," he shouted.

Peyton flinched back at his shouting, and he wanted to take it back, but his pride wouldn't let him. She shook her head, slowly, running her fingers through her hair and biting down on her lip. "I read your book," she admitted. He paused for a minute, watching her, wondering where she was going with this. She wasn't quite sure where she was going either, but decided to get it off her chest. "You know what, Lucas, I wish I never had. You wrote all these great things about our love, you told them to the world, and you told them to me, but you didn't mean any of them. You can't have meant any of them, not if you couldn't even wait a year," she spoke softly, trying not to cry.

This made Lucas feel even worse. He wanted nothing more than to go over and comfort her, but knew that he couldn't. "You said no. You moved on. I came back, for you and for our family and you start seeing someone else. How is that supposed to make me feel, Peyton? I wanted to try over, but there's only so many things I can do. You have to work with me here, but you didn't. You started seeing someone else," he answered simply.

Peyton's emotions were like a roller coaster ride, up and down, because of the hormones. While she had been hurt just seconds before, his comment stirred up her anger again. "I never said no!" she couldn't help but point out, once again. She sighed, the anger disappating quickly, and continued before he could snap another comment at her. "I wish I'd said yes," she admitted, softly, but he heard the words perfectly. "If I had known then that by saying someday I'd lose everything, I would have said yes," she continued her admission, still speaking softly, the tears welling up in her eyes again.

Lucas couldn't stand the sight of her tears, but he wasn't sure what to say. He decided to admit something that had been on his chest, since they were obviously letting everything out with this conversation. "I thought our story was epic, you and me," there was a question in her eyes, but he knew what it was, so he continued. "Spanning years and continents, lives ruined and bloodshed. You know. Epic," he answered. Peyton couldn't think of a reply. "You moved on, though, so I guess I have to too," he fininshed.

There was a long pause, and neither of them knew quite what to do. They stood there, staring at each other as the weight of their words sunk in. This was the first time she'd admitted it out loud to him, and he was wondering what that knowledge changed. He didn't say anything more for too long, so she continued with her admissions, deciding to lay it all out on the table. "I broke up with Pete. After you left and I ended up reading your book, I realized that I was fooling myself, thinking that I'd ever belong with someone else," she said, to set the record straight, because he kept mentioning the fact that she had moved on, and she knew that was wrong.

Lucas's blue eyes snapped up to hers, but now she was really considering what he had said. Brooke had also told her that her love with Lucas was epic, as did Keirah, but she didn't understand why they kept using that word, or why he used that description. "Why does it have to be that hard. Love isn't supposed to be that hard," she said, but she was softening. Now all she wanted was to be close to him again.

Lucas stepped closer to her, and she stepped closer to him as well. She remembered her experiment when he had first moved in. Things could easily just be about sex between them, and she hadn't wanted that, right? She knew that things were far from fixed, but she couldn't really recall the reason she had kept herself from just falling into bed with him. She loved him, right? Things would work themselves out in the end. The space between them disippated slowly. Lucas was still thinking about what she had said, though. "People don't write about the ones that come easy," he added softly, before the space between them was completely gone, and they fell back, onto the bed.

A/N: Okay, so Leyton got a lot of feelings out with this talk they had. Things can't be headed anywhere but up, right? You'd think that, but, as the writer of this fic, I just might have to throw a few more things at them. They'll make it though. There will be a Brooke and Rachel talk in the next chapter, and then a Brucas friendship scene, because I do like that friendship. Oh, and I borrowed some lines that are in this chapter from Veronica Mars, because I love that show and I thought the lines fit. Tell me what you think of the chapter. I think there should only be a few more chapters left. This fic should end somewhere around 25 chapters. I want Peyton to have the baby first, but otherwise, this fic is coming to an end. So, yeah, review, because I still want to hear what you guys think.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill, or the lines I took from Veronica Mars, even though I love both of those shows. 


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning, Brooke was sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee, waiting for either Peyton or Haley to come out of their rooms. She expected Haley to stay in bed forever, but she honestly hadn't expected it from Peyton. She had heard the yelling coming from Lucas and Peyton's room, which was why she had been expecting Peyton, or, more likely, Lucas, to be on the couch. Brooke had been disappointed, though, so now she was sitting in the kitchen, resisting the urge to go and wake up one of her best friends, but knowing she did not want to face the wrath of a hormonal pregnant woman.

She had been avoiding Rachel pretty successfully so far, except for a few looks shared during the game of 'I Never,' but she wasn't sure she should leave without talking to Rachel at all. She was debating whether or not she'd get away with it when the decision was made for her as Rachel came into the kitchen. Rachel poured herself a cup of coffee before sitting at the stool next to Brooke, at the island in the middle of the kitchen.

There was complete silence for a few minutes, as both women sipped at their coffee. Rachel had been so sure that it would be a good idea to go and talk to Brooke, but now that she was in the situation, she had absolutely no idea where to start. "So," she paused and Brooke looked at her, her eyebrow kinked curiously. "Um, I guess I'm just going to come out and say this. I'm moving to Tree Hill," she spat out abrubtly. She felt somewhat better after making the confession.

Brooke paused, but didn't know what to say. She didn't know if Rachel was coming to Tree Hill to get her back, and she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to that question. If Rachel did want her back, Brooke wasn't sure she'd be able to say no, she wasn't even sure she should say no. If she didn't want her back, then Brooke would feel awkward for asking the question. So Brooke chose to stay silent.

After a moment, Rachel decided to break the silence again. She couldn't stand to ask if Brooke still loved her, which was the main question on her mind, but she couldn't stand the silence, so she had to say something. She opened her mouth, paused, closed it, and then opened it again, the question falling off of her tongue. "What happened to us, Brooke?" she asked, trying her best to sound unemotional and detatched.

Brooke hadn't been expecting that. She watched Rachel open and close her mouth and she had been about to teasingly tell her to just spit it out in the hopes of sounding friendly, but she had not expected that to be what Rachel had been trying to say. She was once again, speechless, in a way only Rachel could make her. She inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly, trying to think of the right way to word her answer. "I don't know Rachel," she said honestly, but that response didn't seem good enough. "We just wanted different things, I guess," she added, lamely, she had to admit.

Rachel looked down at her hands, staring at her fingers as if they were suddenly the most intriguing things in the world. She felt vunerable with Brooke, in a way that she had never felt before. She had started feeling that way back in high school. and she still felt that way to this day. "I guess you're right," she said softly, her voice filled with regret. She couldn't help the next question that fell off her lips either. "Do you think we'd still be together? You know, if one of us had given in?" her voice was soft, and she was trying not to sound desperate.

Brooke didn't know how to answer that. She would have liked to say yes. Before Chase, she might have said yes. Now, she didn't know. She was confused. She knew a part of her would always love Rachel, the way a part of her would always love Lucas. Was her love for Rachel the same as her love for Lucas. That was the good question. Then there was the issue of her feelings for Chase. She sighed. "I don't know, Rachel. I really wish I had an answer for you, but I don't," she said softly, feeling vunerable as well.

Rachel's sigh echoed Brooke's and the two fell silent, sipping their coffee, feeling somewhat awkward. Rachel didn't want the conversation to be over, though. "You know, if I could go back, and do it all again, the would be only one day in my life that I'd change. I'd agree to move to Tree Hill with you the first time you asked. I thought New York held something for me, and it did, until you left anyway. Now I realize that I don't care where I am, as long as you're there," she said, honestly.

Brooke was stunned into silence once more. She wasn't sure what to say, and she wasn't sure what she was feeling. She had waited so long for Rachel to say those exact words to her, but now that she was hearing them, she didn't know what to do. She had waited six months, then she had moved on. If she had waited, just a month longer, would things be different. Would there be a different reaction to hearing those words. Right now, she wasn't sure if she wanted to scream at Rachel, or kiss her senseless. The thought of Chase kept her from doing either of those things. "I have a boyfriend," she admitted, almost ashamed, but trying to make her voice sound confident.

Rachel nodded slowly. Haley had told her this, of course. She knew that Brooke was with Chase. She couldn't let the weekend go by without telling Brooke this, though. After talking, with both Haley and Peyton, Rachel had made the decision to move to Tree Hill. She was determined to be in Brooke's life, whether they were just friends, or more than that. Actually, she wanted more, and she'd wait forever to have everything with Brooke, if she had to. "I know, Brooke, but I want to be your friend again. I need you in my life," she said, finally turning to make eye contact with the brunette.

Brooke could see that every word the redhead spoke was true, and she was surprised to find the same feelings recripocated in herself. She offered Rachel a friendly smile. "I want that too, Rachel. I've kinda missed you, you know," she said, her voice dipping into the nostalgia. She had finally realized that the thing she had been missing in her life these past six months was Rachel. At the prospect of becoming friends with her again, she felt this hole that she hadn't even realized was there being filled.

Rachel smiled tentatively back. "I kind of missed you too," she teased, throwing Brooke's words back at her. She wanted to lighten the moment that had grown way too heavy. She knew that one day they would be able to get back to where they had been, if they could just start over. So that was what she intended to do, start over. She abrubtly changed the conversation, to lighter topics, and the friendship began to renew itself.

In the room she shared with Lucas, Peyton was just waking up. She felt strong wrapped around her once more, but this time she noticed the lack of clothes. Her mind ran through the memories of last night. She could remember the fight with Lucas, and then what happened after. She needed to talk to Haley, immediately. She didn't want to leave the safety of Lucas's arms, though. She knew that once she did, she'd have to face the repercussions of last night.

She listened for a moment, realizing that his breathing was even. He was still sleeping, deeply. Peyton very carefully removed herself from his arms, trying her best not to wake him up. She managed to pull a shirt on, and then a pair of shorts, before she quietly slipped out of the room. She made her way down the hallway, to her best friends room. She slipped into the room and saw that Haley was in bed, wrapped in Nathan's embrace, but her eyes were open.

Peyton gestured for Haley to get up, then she quietly slipped back into the hallway, waiting for Haley to get dressed and join her. When the door opened a crack and her best friend was suddenly beside her, Peyton still stayed silent, leading Haley down the hallway toward the back of the house. She led Haley out the back door. The snow had melted and they were no longer snowed in. They both sat on the back porch swing, Peyton pulling her legs up to her chest and resting her chin on them, staring at nothing.

Haley waited, knowing that Peyton was about to burst at any moment with whatever she needed to say. She had heard the yelling last night, but once it had stopped, Peyton hadn't come to find her, so she had assumed Peyton wanted to talk about it now. "Lucas and I slept together," she finally blurted out, shocking Haley. After all the yelling last night, that was the last thing she had expected. It really shouldn't have surprised her, though, considering the couple.

Haley let out a long sigh, looking sideways at her best friend, trying to gauge what Peyton was feeling. All she could see on Peyton's face was a confusing mixture of emotions. She really wasn't surprised that it had happened. Actually, she was more surprised that it happened sooner. When Peyton looked over at her, she told her as much. At Peyton's curious look, Haley explained further. "Well, I honestly expected you guys to sleep together that first night. I was beginning to wonder if I had been wrong, though, when the shouting started last night," she said with a shrug.

Peyton looked away from Haley, out towards the snow. She sighed deeply. "I don't know what to do, Hales. I love him, so much, and I'm a wreck without him, but I'm scared," she paused and Haley waited, knowing that she'd continue once she had a moment to collect her thoughts. "What if he leaves again, the moment something doesn't go his way? I can't take that, not again, and I don't want to put my children through that either," she said, moving slightly to place one hand on her stomach, rubbing it protectively.

Haley pulled her best friend into a hug. Peyton hesitated a moment before hugging back, trying not to let the tears fall, but they slipped down her cheeks anyway. At the sight of Peyton's tears, Haley began to cry as well. "It'll be okay, Peyton. He loves you and you love him, it'll all be alright in the end," she said before wiping at her tears with one hand, the other arm still wrapped around Peyton. "Damn hormones," she muttered under her breath.

Peyton was now sobbing harshly into Haley's shoulder. Once the floodgates opened up, she just couldn't stop them. All her worries and stress from the past few months just poured out of her. She wasn't done talking, though. "What if love isn't enough? I mean, look at Brooke and Rachel, it was obvious how much they loved each other, and it didn't work out for them. I love Lucas, and it wasn't enough for him. He still walked out on me, twice," she said, her words mangled by the sobs.

Haley rubbed her best friends back. She knew Peyton was just scared of getting hurt again, but a part of her was right. She had been a wreck without him, unable to function properly. Haley was amazed that she had done so much with her label, and still made time for her kids. When Peyton had come to stay with her in LA, right after Lucas had left, Haley had been unable to make her do anything. She wouldn't talk, wouldn't eat, wouldn't get up, for the whole time. Then she had seemed to remember her children, and she had got up, packed her bag, and left just as quickly as she had appeared. She had done nothing but cry that whole week, then she returned to Tree Hill and did anything but cry.

Brooke had told Haley how out of it Peyton had been, putting her all into her job and her kids, leaving no room to focus on anything else. She had really been a wreck, for the whole four months. Then Lucas came back into her life, and she was living again, laughing again, smiling again. Haley didn't understand how Peyton could be considering pushing Lucas out of her life again. She decided to be patient with her best friend, though. "Love is enough, Peyton. My love for Nathan has carried me through five years, and it'll get me through the rest of my life, I know it. Just because Lucas can be a complete idiot, don't be scared to admit to him that you love him," she said.

Peyton pulled away from Haley a bit, trying to calm her sobs. "He never fought for me, though, Hales. I know how much I love him, but what if his love for me isn't enough? I can't go back unless I know he means the words he's said to me. So far, his actions have done nothing to back up his words. I just want to know that he cares enough to fight for me," she said.

Haley didn't know what to say, which was odd, because she usually knew exactly the right thing to tell her best friend. Peyton realized that Haley had nothing to say, so she got up, deciding to go back into the house. She decided that telling Haley her fears was helping nothing. If there was anyone she needed to talk to, it was Lucas, so that was what she planned on doing.

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Lucas woke up to find an empty bed, and he wondered if last night had been a dream. Feeling the other side, which wasn't quite cold yet, he realized that it had been real. He waited a few moments for Peyton to come back, but the door to the room stayed firmly closed. He surpressed a yawn, then decided to go find her. He sat up, grabbing his pajama pants, and pulling them on, looking for his shirt. He couldn't find the one he'd been wearing last night, so he had to get one from his suitcase.

He stood up, stretching, and then left the room, heading for the kitchen because he assumed he would find Peyton there. The only person in the kitchen was Brooke, so he poured himself a cup of coffee, wondering where Peyton was. Brooke smiled at him. "Ah, Lucas, just the guy I wanted to talk to," Brooke said, earing a curious look from Lucas. "Actually, Rachel just abondoned me so she could take a shower, so anyone could have come into the kitchen and they would have been the person I wanted to talk to," she explained, ignoring his mock-offended look.

He didn't reply, still pretending to be hurt by her comment, but she didn't apologise. The traces of teasing melted off her face, as she realized that she did have something she wanted to talk to him about. "I heard the yelling last night," she said, watching his face carefully to gauge his reaction. She got a grimace in return and she cocked her head to the side as she looked at him. "What happened?" she asked.

He sighed, sitting down on the stool that Rachel vacated a few minutes previously. He delved into the story, quickly getting past the fighting part. Brooke held her hands up as he tried to continue. "Okay, okay, dang. I don't want that many details," she stuck her tongue out at him when he laughed at her, bumping her shoudler into his. The teasing fell away after a moment leaving her with a more serious demeanor, when she realized how happy he was. "I'm glad you two finally are getting things worked out," she said honestly, her mind was on Rachel, though, and she wondered how things would work out there. She thought the friendship thing might go okay, for a while, but how would she feel when Rachel started dating again, if she started seeing someone else.

Lucas could sense that things had gotten more serious, and he wondered where Brooke's mind had wandered to. He watched her for a moment, reaching out to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear to get her attention. When she looked at him, he asked her what was wrong, and she sighed, explaining her situation with Rachel. He was silent for a moment when she finished talking. "I the first thing you need to decide, is whether or not you really want to be with Chase. You can't keep stringing him along if you don't want to be with him," he said.

Brooke nodded. She knew that. The thing was, she didn't know that she didn't want to be with him. "I don't know what to do. Chase is so sweet, and such a good guy, and I know I could love him, if things were different," she said, leaving out the fact that the thing that needed to be different was the fact that she was still in love with Rachel. She wondered if eventually that would go away, if she could manage to fall in love with Chase. Then her mind moved back in time, back to high school, when things had been simple. She had been with Lucas. They had been the golden couple, and everyone had thought they would be married some day. She had thought they would be married one day.

Lucas noticed her thoughtful face and reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear to get her attention. "What's going on in that mind of yours, Brooke Davis?" he asked, curiously. He was actually surprised at the conversation they were having. Ever since their break-up, Brooke had been Peyton's friend more than his, not that he blamed her. He had been the one to break her heart. It did hurt him that he had hurt her, too. She had been his first love, and, at one time, he had thought they would be together forever.

Brooke smiled lightly at the question, wondering if he'd really want to hear the answer. "I guess it's just funny, in an ironic kind of way," she said. He looked at her curiously, waiting for her to explain. "I mean, here we are, talking about our love lives, when, at one point, I never thought we'd have love lives outside of each other," she paused. "Things have changed so much since high school, Lucas, and if you'd told me back then that things would end up this way, I would have called you crazy," she said, somewhat nostalgically.

Lucas nodded slowly, but didn't say anything. There was nothing to say to that. His relationship with Brooke had been simple and easy. They were just together, having fun most of the time, but there had also been a serious side to their relationship. Brooke had helped him through a lot of his family troubles. She had been there for him when he needed to talk about his mom, and when he needed to get away from his dad. They had been great, and he had honestly thought that nothing would ever tear them apart.

Something had, though. Peyton. She had come into his life like a comet, and his life had never been the same. She had brightened his world, and he had managed to lose her. Now that he had her back, though, he wasn't going to make the same mistake a third time. He was never walking away from her again. She was stuck with him. At the look on Brooke's face, though, he decided not to tell her all of that. "Yeah, Brooke, we had some good times. Things all worked out for the best, though, I honestly believe that," he said.

Brooke sighed, looking down at her hands. She wished she had never given Lucas up. Things would be so different if she hadn't let him go. What would their lives be like, if she had just forgiven him for cheating on her? She wondered about that, lately she had been thinking about that a lot more. She leaned over, ignoring his words, and abrubtly placed her lips on his, startling him into kissing her back.

He only lost his head for a moment, but a moment was all it took. He knew what he had known all along, and Brooke realized what she had needed to find out. He pushed her away, noticing the flash of blonde darting down the hallway. Yes, a moment was all it took. Just a moment, and it could ruin everything. He looked at Brooke, but didn't hesitate before getting off the stool and sprinting after Peyton.

He found her in their room, digging through her suitcase. He said her name, but she stood up abruptly, a box in her hands. "Don't," she turned to face him, shoving the box into his hands. He instantly recognized his Peyton box, and wondered how long she had known about it, and how much she had seen. He looked from the box, to her, noticing the tears running down her cheeks. He opened his mouth to speak again. "No, I don't want to hear anything you have to say, because none of it is true. You tell me you want to be with me forever, and then you leave the next morning. You tell me we're epic, and then you kiss someone else the next morning. Are you seeing a pattern here? You tell me one thing, but your actions say something different, and I can't do this anymore," she shouted at him.

Before he had time to recover from her words, she had turned, grabbing her suitcase, and lugging it out the door, down the hall. She knew that Haley could get a ride from Nathan, and right now she didn't give a damn about how Brooke got home. She was still in boxers and one of his shirts, but she didn't care about that either. She was leaving, getting as far away from Lucas as she could. She couldn't take it anymore.

Lucas was still thinking about her words, and didn't even consider where she was headed. He sat down on the bed, looking at his Peyton box. He had been keeping it for so long, yet it had been so long since he had looked through it. He had known that it was on her closet shelf, but he didn't know that she had known that. He had even been adding stuff to it, while he had been living in her guest room, but he hadn't really looked through it. He opened it and saw the box that held the bracelet he had been planning on giving her when they got back together. He dug a little deeper, and found the ring he had planned on giving her. He picked it up, a plan forming in his mind.

He jumped up off the bed, running through the house, with two boxes in his hands. He made it outside, and saw that both Haley and Brooke were out there, fighting, it seemed. Well, Haley was yelling at Brooke, while Brooke just stood there taking it. He noticed the Comet was gone just as Haley and Brooke noticed he was there. They both ran up to him. "I'm so sorry," Brooke was saying, as Haley said, "You've got to go after her. Fight for your love and show her you mean what you say." Brooke had continued, but her words were drowned out by Haley's.

Lucas wasn't even listening, to either of them. He wsa focused solely on his mission. He got in his truck, trusting the two women to get out of his way as he backed up, turning around and driving down the only road that led away from the cabin. He had barely lost sight of the cabin when he spotted the familiar black Mercury parked on the side of the road. He pulled to a stop behind it and grabbed his boxes before getting out of the truck and heading for her car.

Peyton had been crying so hard by the time she got in the car that it was all she could do to make it out of sight of the cabin before stopping on the side of the road. She didn't hear the car pull up behind hers, but she did notice the door open. She knew immediately who it was, but didn't look up as he sat in the passenger seat next to her, closing the door to block out the cold.

Lucas saw her shoulders shaking with the sobs, and the tears streaming down her cheeks, and he wanted to reach out and take all her pain away. It pained him to know she was in pain, and it pained him even more to know he had caused that pain. He handed over the first box, and she opened it to see the charm bracelet. She looked over at him, one eyebrow kinked, wondering what he was getting at. "Listen, Peyton, I bought this for you when I moved back, and I planned on giving it to you when we got back together," he started.

Peyton had taken a few deep, calming breaths, so she was able to speak, cutting him off. "Don't you get it Lucas, I don't think we are getting back together. I can't do this anymore. I don't even know what happened this time. I came back in to talk to you, but I find you kissing Brooke. I can't take this pain anymore," she desperately tried to keep her voice even, but it cracked on the last statement.

Lucas reached out, wiping away her tears, and she surprised him by letting him. When he pulled away, it was to pick up the second box. "When I proposed to you, I didn't even get to show you this, because you never gave me a chance. You think I just proposed because I was scared of losing you, well, that's not the case. I bought this ring long before I proposed, because I was already looking for the right moment. I wanted you to be my wife, Peyton, and I still want you to be my wife," he was looking down at the box as he spoke.

Peyton was also looking down at the box, trying to listen to what he had to say, but she was scared of his words, now. "You said I have to show you how I feel, this is how I'm going to do that. I know you're scared, so am I, but I don't want to live without you anymore. I thought you had turned me down, so I chased my dream, but I chased the wrong thing. You are my dream, Peyton. You're the only dream come true that I want to have. The rest doesn't matter," he paused, looking up at her.

Peyton looked up, meeting his gaze, knowing what was coming, but too scared to do anything, whether to stop him or kiss him. She wasn't quite sure which she wanted to do, but she was frozen anyway. "It's you, Peyton. I want you next to me if my other dreams come true and I want you next to me if they don't. Will you marry me?" he wasn't able to kneel, because they were in the car, but he opened up the ring box, showing it to her.

Peyton's mouth dropped open in shock, despite the fact that she had known the words were coming. She looked down at the ring. It was gorgeous in it's simplicity, and a ring perfectly suited for her. She had to look away, down at her hands, so she could gather her thoughts for a response. "I have this dream, while I'm sleeping," she added the last part to specify which kind of dream she meant. "We're back to that first night in the house, and you propose to me, and every single time, I say yes," she paused, looking up at him as she continued, "That's MY dream."

Her mouth was open, as she had been about to continue, but before she could, there was a sharp pain in her stomach, and she leant down, clutching it, moaning with the pain. Lucas froze with shock, for a millisecond, then he sprang into action. He got out of the car, running around to her side. He opened the drivers side door, pulling her out of the car before carrying her around to the other side and putting her in the passenger seat. He made sure she was in, then closed the door, running around to the other side again before getting behind the wheel.

As he started driving, he didn't even know where he was headed, he just knew he had to get out of the woods and to a freeway. From there he would head to the nearest hospital. He looked over at her, her eyes were still closed with pain, but she opened them, as if she sensed his gaze. He kept darting his gaze from the road to her, noticing that she reached out for him. He took one hand off the wheel, taking hers, trying to comfort her. "Lucas," she said, her voice weak. She only was able to say one more word before the pain drew her into unconsciousness. He stepped on the gas pedal harder, forcing the car to go as fast as it could.

A/N: This is one of the longest chapters I've written, but I wanted to get to this point, even if it was a lot to take in. Don't worry about the Brooke kiss, and I'm sorry about it, but that was how the chapter wrote itself. Okay, so, what do you think is wrong with Peyton? I guess you'll have to wait and see. What do you think she said to him before she lost consciousnss? You'll have to wait to find that out as well. Review and I might get an update up faster.

Disclaimer: I own it all. I am in complete control of the CW and One Tree Hill. Oh, wait, that's just MY dream. Sorry about that. 


	21. Chapter 21

Haley arrived at the hospital forty minutes after Peyton had been admitted into the ER, towing Nathan behind her. She dropped Nathan's hand and ran up to Lucas, needing to know what was wrong with her best friend. "Lucas, what happened? I mean, you drove off to talk to her, and then twenty minutes later, I get a call that you're at the hospital, and Peyton's in pain. What's wrong with my best friend?" she asked, nearing hysterics.

Nathan took her hand again, trying to calm her down. He knew the stress would be bad for the baby. He knew that if he said anything to her now, though, she'd just yell at him. Haley didn't take her eyes off of Lucas, waiting for him to explain everything to her. Lucas took a deep, shaky breath. "I don't know, Haley. They took her in forty minutes ago, and I'm waiting to hear from the doctor. I proposed to her, and she started clutching her stomach, moaning in pain," he explained, looking down at his shaky hands.

Haley turned and leaned into Nathan, letting him wrap his arms around her. She cried silently into his chest for a few moments. This was all Brooke's fault. If Brooke hadn't kissed Lucas, then Peyton and Lucas would probably still be at the cabin right now, trying to talk out their problems. She could still be in bed with Nathan, instead of wondering if her best friend was still alive. Why did Brooke kiss Lucas? As she thought, she realized what Lucas had said. "Wait, you proposed to her? What did she say?" Haley asked, turning her head to look at Lucas, but not pulling away from Nathan at all.

Lucas smiled bitterly, but shook his head with a shrug. "Nothing, really," he answered, not being entirely truthful. She had said something before the pain had pulled her completely under, but he wasn't sure it exactly counted, considering how much pain she had been in. He didn't get much of a chance to explain, as a doctor came into the waiting room, holding a chart and asking for the family of Peyton Sawyer. Lucas walked over, Haley following close behind. "I'm the father of her baby. Can you tell me if they're okay?" he asked.

The doctor hesitated. "Well, due to stress and complications, she's gone into premature labor," he said. Haley gasped and Lucas's face fell. He asked what the doctor was going to do, if they had tried to stop it. "Given that she is only barely over six months, we did try to stop it. Given her condition, though, there wasn't much we could do. We're going to have to take the baby, in the hopes of saving her life. If we don't take the baby, there is a good chance they will both die. If we take the baby with ceserean now, there is a chance they'll both make it. Since you're the father, we need your approval before we do anything," he said, looking at Lucas expectantly.

Lucas sighed, running a shaky hand through his hair. What was he supposed to do. If they didn't take the baby, there was a good chance they'd both die, and if they did, the baby would probably die, and Peyton still might die. So it was basically the lesser of two evils. How did he make the decision? The better chance for the love of his life or the better chance for his baby? He knew what Peyton would want. "There's a better chance for the baby if you take it now, right?" The doctor hesitated and nodded. The chance wasn't much better, but slightly. "Then take the baby. Then do everything you can to save her," he said decisively.

When the doctor nodded and left, Lucas pushed past Haley and Nathan, sinking into a chair in the waiting room and dropping his head into his hands, his elbows resting on his knees. How did things get like this? Last night had been perfect, after the screaming, of course, and now he was in a hospital, waiting for the doctors to save the love of his life. He needed her, and they needed their daughter. Chilarie. The name Peyton had picked. At first he had thought it was a little eccentric, but now he couldn't think of any name more perfect for their daughter.

Haley was crying even harder now, as she worried for her best friend. She was about to lose her best friend, or her niece, or both. That thought made her cry all the harder. She leaned into Nathan, burying her face into his chest as she drenched his shirt in tears. Nathan had to hide tears of his own, and only managed because he needed to be strong for his wife. He held her close, rubbing her back and whispering soothing things into her hair.

Eventually Nathan managed to pull Haley into a chair, and the three of them waited for news about Peyton or the baby. People moved around them constantly, but not the right people. They were waiting to hear from the doctor. Lucas was just contemplating the fact that everyone else in the world was just going on with their lives, none of them realizing that the life of the love of his life hung in the balance, none of them caring. He realized that neither Derek, or Karen knew that Peyton was in the hospital. He got the sudden urge to talk to his boys.

Just as he stood up, though, a nurse called his name. His attention snapped to her, and he walked over. "You're the father of Peyton's Sawyer's baby, right?" she asked, and he nodded. "Well, they're about to do a ceserean to take the baby, and the doctor wanted me to inform you that you could come be in the same room while it's happening," she said.

Lucas glanced back at Haley, who had stood up and was now standing next to him. He sighed, he wanted to go, of course, and he wouldn't give that up for anything, but he knew that Haley wouldn't want to be shut out. "This is Haley. She's Peyton's best friend, practically a sister to her. She's also the aunt to the baby. Can she watch, if not be in the same room?" he asked. The nurse thought about it, then nodded, gesturing for both of them to follow her.

Haley left her husband, taking a deep breath as she followed Lucas and the nurse down the hallway. She needed to see Peyton right now, to know that her friend was breathing, at least. The nurse gave Lucas a set of scrubs, which Haley tied for him, before he entered the OR. Haley stayed in the next room, watching the operation from behind the glass as her niece was born.

Lucas was barely about to stand being next to Peyton without touching her. He wanted to hold on to her and never let go. Her face looked so peaceful, and if he didn't know that she was unconscious, he would assume that she was just sleeping. He brushed the locks of blonde hair that had fallen across her forehead, wanting to lean down and kiss it, but the mask prohibited it. So, he settled for caressing her cheek with his gloved hand. As he stared at her, he realized again how much he needed her to be okay. If she didn't make it through this, he wasn't sure he would either. He had lost so much time that he could have spent happy with her, and he'd never get those months back. He only hoped that they'd have the rest of their lives to make up for it.

He was broken out of his thoughts by the doctor's voice. "Well, Mr. Scott, you have a baby girl," he said, and Lucas barely got a glimpse of his daughter as he glanced up, before she was whisked away by a nurse. "They need to place her in an incubator, where she will stay for probably a month, until her lungs are fully developed," he said, before preparing Peyton to be returned to her room.

Lucas left the OR, and Haley met him in the hall, a smile on his face as he removed the scrubs, handing them to a nurse who was waiting to take them. When he was finished, and the nurse was walking away, he hugged her. "Oh, Lucas, you have a beautiful daughter," she said, but she was unable to keep the tears away. "She has to wake up, Luke. She has to. I can't lose my best friend yet. I still need her," she sobbed.

Lucas nodded, but stayed silent. There was nothing to say. They both returned to the waiting room, Lucas's arm on Haley's shoulder, her arm around his waist as they supported each other. As they entered the room, they noticed that two people had joined Nathan. Haley immediately let go of Lucas, walking right up and getting into the face of the brunette that was standing next to her husband. "What the hell are you doing here? You shouldn't be here. It's because of you that Peyton's in the hospital right now, and if she doesn't make it, it's your fault," Haley was yelling. Her sadness had immediately turned to anger, as soon as she had seen Brooke.

Brooke's eyes widened at Haley's anger, and she opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Haley's hand slapping her across the face. "No, you need to leave. Get out of here," she shouted. Nathan immediately stepped in between the two once Haley had hit Brooke, and he tried pulling his wife away. She kept repeating that Brooke needed to leave.

Lucas stepped in front of Brooke, also in between the two women. Rachel was standing to the side, her hand on Brooke's arm. Brooke looked up at Lucas, her eyes big and vunerable. He could tell she felt horrible. She whispered his name, a silent plea. He glanced over his shoulder, at Haley, who was still freaking out, trying to get at Brooke. "Sorry, Brooke, but maybe you should just leave," he said softly. Brooke's eyes widened, some of the sadness being replaced by shock. She turned away, her hand on her cheek as if he had slapped her as well, and stormed out of the hospital. He looked to Rachel, his eyes pleading. She nodded understandingly, then followed Brooke.

Lucas turned back to face Haley again, but he didn't know what to say. He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he looked at Peyton's best friend, wondering what he could say to her. He sat back down, deciding to not say anything. As he sat, he began to pray. He needed Peyton back, and he would ask who ever he had to, if it would bring her back to him. It was a desperate kind of prayer, one that comes from a person who's lost all hope. That was what he needed, some hope, or a sign, anything that would let him know that Peyton would make it through this.

Haley sat across from him. It had been so easy to blame Brooke for what had happened to Peyton. After all, she knew Lucas loved Peyton, he couldn't have been the one to kiss Brooke, right? What if she was wrong, though? What if she was blaming Brooke, when she should be blaming Lucas? Could she really throw away the friendship that she had been building with Brooke for over five years because of something she wasn't even sure about? She needed reassurance from Lucas, that she was right to be blaming Brooke. "Lucas, what happened?" she asked, breaking the silence.

Just as Haley spoke, a nurse came into the room, and he was saved from speaking, because she asked him if he'd like to see his daughter. He sent Haley an apologetic look and followed the nurse, still unable to believe that he had a daughter. Now, all he needed was Peyton back. She would come back to him. She had to. The nurse led him to a room, where his baby girl was in an incubator. She was so tiny. She could probably fit in the palm of his hand. He wanted to hold her, but he couldn't.

Looking at his daughter, though, something he and Peyton had created, that hope that he had been searching for suddenly came to him, and he knew that Peyton was going to be okay. He could see that their daughter was going to have blonde hair, and he only hoped that she had Peyton's green eyes. As he looked at the tiny baby, that belonged to him and Peyton, he realized that he was ready to name her. He reached out to a nurse passing by and when she returned with the proper papers, he wrote the name down, officially naming his daughter. He smiled, sending her one last look, before heading to find Peyton's room.

The nurse had retrieved Haley and Nathan from the waiting room, as Peyton was allowed to have multiple people in her room at a time. Just as Lucas was sitting down at the head of Peyton's bed, Haley and Nathan came in. Haley took the other chair in the room, dragging it over to the opposite side of Peyton that Lucas was on. Once she sat down across from Lucas, she looked up at her husband, who was standing at her side. "Hey, um, can you go get me a bottle of water, or something? You look like you could use a coffee, as well," she said, only managing a small smile.

Nathan nodded, placing a kiss on the top of her head before leaving the room. Haley looked across her best friend, at Lucas. Lucas knew exactly what was coming. He knew there was no longer time to put it off. He sighed, holding up his hands to let Haley know she didn't even need to ask. "All right, I know. You want to know what happened. Well, here it is," he said, before going over his complete conversation with Brooke. "I didn't even know she was going to kiss me. I mean, I had just finished telling her things had worked out for the best. Then, all of a sudden she was kissing me," he sighed, throwing his hands up, knowing that didn't excuse his actions.

Haley took a deep breath. She didn't feel bad about yelling at Brooke. It truly was Brooke's fault. She would never be able to fogive Brooke if Peyton didn't make it, and she wasn't even sure she'd be able to fogive Brooke if Peyton did make it. Brooke had been there for those four months. She had seen how broken down Peyton had got without Lucas. She knew that they belonged together.

Then she had just seemed to change her mind, and kissed Lucas, also knowing what had happened between Lucas and Peyton the night before, and that Peyton needed to keep calm, and stress-free. She knew kissing Lucas would cause Peyton stress. How could seeing the love of your life kiss one of your best friends not cause you stress? Yet, Brooke had kissed him anyway. Part of Haley knew she needed to hear Brooke out, she probably hadn't been thinking, but how could you not think before doing something so stupid? The part that wanted to hear Brooke out was dominated by the part who wanted to be angry at Brooke anyway.

There was a long silence in the room as Haley contemplated what had happened. Lucas still felt extremely guilty. He should have been talking to Peyton this morning, and he shouldn't have allowed Brooke to kiss him. If he had just gone and found Peyton when he had wanted to, none of this would have happened. "I need her to come back, Haley. I love her so much. She just has to come back," he confessed finally. He needed Haley to know how much he loved Peyton. "I need to see those green eyes, and I need to hear her voice, even if she's being sarcastic, or yelling at me. Our kids need her. I can't raise our three kids without her. She has to come back. She has to," his tone changed from confident, to pleading.

Haley looked up at him. She could see the love shining in his eyes as he looked at her best friend. To be honest, she had been a little weary of Lucas and Peyton getting back together, even if she had told Peyton otherwise. Looking at him now, though, he looked so broken, and she could really tell that things would be okay between the two of them this time, if only Peyton woke up. "She will wake up, Lucas," she said, trying to sound more confident than she actually was.

Her husband came into the room next, holding a coffee for himself and a bottle of water for his pregnant wife. He pulled a chair from the other side of the room and took a seat next to Haley, holding his coffee in his left hand and taking her left hand in his right. Lucas's eyes were on Peyton again, but he suddenly remembered that he still had to call Derek, and Karen. Peyton's brother needed to know about her condition, and Karen needed to know that they wouldn't be making it back to Tree Hill tonight.

Lucas stood up, his eyes on Peyton's still form for a long moment as Haley looked at him before he finally looked back at her. "I should probably call Derek, and Karen. They should know. Also, I want to talk to the boys," he said, reaching out and brushing the hair from Peyton's face before turning and leaving the room. He had gotten as far as the waiting room when he realized that he didn't have the number for Karen or the number for Derek. Peyton had always been the one to call either one of them.

With a sigh, he headed for the Comet, hoping that she had put her phone in her suitcase as she had stormed out of the cabin this morning. He went to the back seat of the car, opening her suitcase and digging through it without even thinking about the fact that he was invading her privacy. He wasn't paying attention to the clothes, but when he finally did find the phone, he noticed that one of the sweatshirts, right on top, had belonged to him. He had always wondered where that sweatshirt had ended up, it had been one of his favorites. Knowing that Peyton had had it, he didn't care much that it had disappeared anymore. It further proved how much she loved him, still.

Peyton's phone in hand, he shut the suitcase, getting out of the Comet and leaning against it as he flipped through her address book, looking for her brother's number. When he found it, he hit send, putting the phone up to his ear. The phone rang five times, and he realized that it was already nine, and considering the three hour time difference, it was one in the morning where Derek was. He was about to hang up the phone, but one the sixth ring, the other line picked up, and he heard Derek mutter a gruff, sleepy hello.

Lucas quickly explained the situation and Derek replied that he'd be there in the morning. He was going to catch the next flight out there. Lucas didn't bother protesting. He knew that Derek was coming whether he told him it was necessary or not, and he also knew that Peyton would appreciate the fact that her brother was there. So, after he finished the conversation with Derek, he decided to call Karen. It would be the same time in Tree Hill, because they were in the same time zone.

The phone rang three times before Karen picked up, and she sounded a little flustered, but wide awake. "Hey, Peyton, I was just about to put the boys down. They want to stay up and wait for you, but I insisted that they have to go to bed, and you can wake them up when you get here. When will that be, exactly?" she asked before Lucas could get a word in edgewise.

Lucas took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. "Actually, Karen, it's Lucas, and we won't be making it back to Tree Hill tonight," he said, then he explained the situation once again. Peyton is in the hospital, she had to give birth prematurely to a baby girl that will most likely be in an incubator for a month, possibly longer, and Peyton is still unconscious. "Can I talk to the boys, I'd like to be the one to tell them, even though I'd prefer to do it in person. I'd just like to talk to them," he said.

Karen sighed, feeling bad about Peyton, but springing into action immediately, because that was the kind of person she was. "Yeah, here, I'll put it on speaker so you can talk to both of them at once," she called the boys into the room. "While you explain, I'm going to get their things ready. I need to get started right now if I'm going to make the drive up there tonight," she said before putting it on speaker, mentioning to the boys that their father was on the phone.

Lucas tried to protest, but she had already gone off to pack up some stuff, and all he could hear now was the voices of their boys. "Hey, Jason, Aiden, I miss you guys so much, and I know we were supposed to make it home tonight, but we can't. Mommy's sick, and in the hospital right now. She's sleeping right now, or I'd let you talk to her. She's going to be all right, though," he tried to explain it in a way two almost six year olds could understand.

They both asked about the baby, and Lucas smiled, despite everything that had happened. If there was one thing that could make him feel happy right now, it was his kids, and he knew that the boys were going to make great big brothers. "Oh, she came a little early, but she wasn't ready to come yet, so she's going to have to stay in an incubator, which is like a box that will keep her warm and allow her to keep growing until she's allowed to come into the world. It wasn't safe for her in Mommy's stomach anymore," he tried his best to explain that as well.

The boys were both excited about the fact that the baby was born and Lucas found his smile getting larger. He also felt the tears welling in his eyes, and he did his best not to let them fall. Peyton would feel so proud at how well the boys were taking the baby, because she had been so worried that they would feel like they were being pushed aside. Karen came back onto the phone with the boys, informing all the twins and Lucas that they were going to get in the car right now and the would be at the hospital in a few hours. Lucas didn't try to protest with her either, because he knew that it would make no difference, and he really wanted to get back into the hospital to check on Peyton.

After he shut the phone he was about to head back towards the hospital, but he realized there was one more thing he wanted from the car. He opened the drivers side door, looking around in the front of the car until he saw the small box, which was laying open on the ground. He picked it up, closing it and putting it in his pocket before locking the car and heading back toward the hospital.

Brooke was still sitting outside the hospital, Rachel on the bench next to her. They had both noticed when Lucas had walked by, but he hadn't noticed them. Brooke had been curious about where he was headed, but hadn't dared to ask. He didn't know if he blamed her as well, and she was still quite mad for him forcing her out. She was Peyton's friend too, and she deserved to know if she was alive, at least. She stood up as she saw Lucas coming back towards the hospital.

This time, Lucas noticed her, and he slowed as he approached her. He noticed the cold, and that she didn't have a jacket. He felt a little awkward about earlier, so he shoved his hands into his pockets, shuffling his feet. "You can, um, go into the waiting room. I'm sure you're cold out here," he said, somewhat awkwardly as he stared at his shoes.

Brooke just stared at him incredulously. She sighed resisting the urge to yell at him, but also wanting to apologise and start crying at the same time. She opted to do neither, instead just crossing her arms across her chest, kinking an eyebrow at him. "Luke, I don't care about the cold. All I want to know is that Peyton is okay," she muttered, trying not to sound angry with him. He could have at least stuck up for her earlier in front of Haley. She hadn't kissed herself. It takes two to kiss, even if she had started it.

Lucas sighed, finally looking up at her. He couldn't honestly tell her that, because he didn't know that she was. He rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. "Damnit, Brooke, I don't know that she is. She's still unconscious. She went into premature labor, caused by all the stress, and they had to take the baby by ceserean just to save both their lives, and there's still no guarentee that it worked," he tried not to let the frustration leak into his voice. He wanted Peyton to be okay, and she would have been, if Brooke hadn't kissed him. If he hadn't let Brooke kiss him. He was angry at himself, just as much as he was angry at Brooke.

Brooke's eyes widened, and she uncrossed her arms, letting them fall to her sides. She hadn't realized it was that bad. She swallowed hard, instantly feeling the guilt piling up on her. Suddenly, she couldn't control her tears anymore. "I'm sorry, Lucas, I really am. It was stupid to kiss you, and I shouldn't have done it. I guess I was just feeling nostalgic, or something. I don't know. It was stupid, idiotic, and it shouldn't have happened," she said, her voice pleading, as the tears slipped down her cheeks.

Lucas didn't know what to do. He knew it wasn't completely her fault, but at the same time, he couldn't completely allow himself to forgive her yet. She was staring at him, looking vunerable, and he wanted to be able to comfort her, but if he comforted everyone else, who was going to comfort him. He shuffled his feet, uncomfortable, for a few minutes, while she waited for him to say something. Rachel was completely silent. She didn't know that Brooke had kissed Lucas.

Finally, Lucas mumbled, "Yeah," under his breath, not saying anything else before darting into the hospital. He needed to see Peyton, to know that she wasn't dead yet. After telling everyone of her condition, he just needed a little reassurance. He headed through the hospital, into her room, hoping he'd see those green eyes when he got there, knowing it was a long shot, but still needing the hope.

She still wasn't awake, but she looked much the same, which was good, possibly. Haley was leaning over onto Nathan's shoulder, one hand gripping his and the other gripping Peyton's. Lucas took his seat next to Peyton, taking her hand in both of his. "Derek's coming, and Karen is driving up here, with the boys," he informed Haley, who nodded sleepily, but stayed silent.

A nurse came into the room, informing them that only one person could stay in the room all night. Haley and Nathan stood, knowing there was no way that Lucas would leave Peyton's side, so she told him she'd be in the waiting room, before they left the room. The nurse consulted the machines, telling him that Peyton was the same before leaving the room as well.

Lucas waited until he was alone in the room before he crawled into the bed with Peyton, taking up as little space as possible. He knew that was the only way he'd be able to get sleep tonight, not that he'd get much, but he wanted to be as close to her as possible. So he avoided the wires leading to the machines she was attached to, pulled her as close as he could, and whispered to her, asking her to wake up, as he tried to drift to sleep.

A/N: Okay, so, what do you think Lucas picked for the middle name for the baby? Oh, and I'm not a doctor, so I'm not sure if what happened is medically possible but I am pretty sure that the lungs of the baby don't develop until the seventh month, hence the incubator. Also, I didn't specify where Derek lives exactly, because I didn't exactly decide. He just lives three hours away, from where they arm. I think there was something else I meant to say, but I can't remember what it was, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask in a review, and I'll answer them in the A/N of the next chapter. Please review, even if you don't have questions. Thanks.

Disclaimer: Doesn't the word disclaimer kind of say it all? 


	22. Chapter 22

Peyton groaned, opening her eyes, but snapping them closed before she could focus on anything, trying to move her arms, but something was stopping her. She inhaled deeply. She could smell Lucas's scent next to her, and that thought lifted the corners of her lips. Then the memory of Brooke and Lucas flashed before her eyes, and she wondered if it was a dream. She wouldn't have let Lucas back into bed with her after that. She tried opening her eyes again, but the morning sunlight streaming in from an unfamiliar window caused her to snap them shut once more.

As she tried to move, she realized something was different. She didn't feel right. She felt empty. She tried desperately to remember what happened, but she couldn't remember anything past the Lucas and Brooke kiss, and she wasn't even sure that was real. She opened her eyes and forced them to stay open this time. She felt Lucas's body next to her, and, as she looked over, she realized he was sleeping, his even breathing washing over her cheek. She winced away from his morning breath, and noticed the nurse standing next to her bed.

It was then that she noticed all the machines attached to her. She heard the one that was monitoring her heartbeat, and she listened for the one that should be monitoring her daughter's heartbeat. She reached up to touch her stomach as she couldn't hear the sound she was searching for, and she instantly knew what was causing the feeling of emptiness inside her. "Where's my baby?" she asked, her voice rough and cracky as she spoke for the first time, causing the words to be mangled, and not easily understandable.

The nurse had been eying the monitor, and hadn't noticed that Peyton was awake yet. She was startled by the hoarse voice, but looked down at her patient with a smile, not even processing what Peyton had said. When she saw the panic in Peyton's eyes, and the hand on her stomach, she immediately tried to calm the woman, before she had a panic attack. "Miss Sawyer, Miss Sawyer, calm down. Your daughter is alive. You went into premature labor, and we had to take the baby, or risk losing both of you. Your daughter is currently in an incubator, where she'll stay until her lungs are fully developed," she explained, placing a hand on the woman's arm, eying the monitors.

As Peyton took a moment to take in the nurse's explanation, she tried to calm her breathing. It was hard to believe she was no longer carrying her daughter. It wasn't time yet. She wasn't ready for this. She wanted to start asking questions, but her throat was dry and raw. She gestured for the water next to her bed and the nurse helped her sit up and take a few drinks. Somehow, Lucas managed to remain undisturbed. She knew the nurse couldn't answer her questions, so she just thanked her, looking over at Lucas.

The nurse was eying Lucas as she came walked towards the door. Peyton sent her a look, pleading with her not to say anything. The nurse considered for a moment, then just smiled, closing the door behind her as she left the room. Peyton moved her gaze to Lucas, wanting to wake him up, but he looked so much like he needed the sleep. There was also a slight smile on his face, as if he was dreaming something good. How could she bring him back to the real world, if he was lucky enough to have good dreams. She felt her stomach again. She felt like she was in a nightmare, especially if the memories coming back to her were real.

As all the bad memories from the day before drifted back to Peyton, she tried to think of what she was going to say to Lucas when she woke him up. She definately remembered the kiss between Lucas and Brooke, now, and she was sure that it had happened. She just didn't know why? She was reasonably sure the stress of it was what had caused her to go into premature labor, but could she really be mad at Lucas? She remembered the proposal, and she knew that he had been the one to push Brooke away. Could she forgive Brooke?

Just as she was contemplating that last question, the door swung open, slamming loudly into the wall. Brooke swept into the room, a bit of an irritated look on her face. When she noticed that Peyton was awake, her face broke into a dimpled grin. "P. Sawyer, I'm so glad you're awake," she spoke loudly in her raspy voice. "I just had to sneak past Haley, who's asleep in the waiting room. I needed to know that you were okay, though," she continued.

Her loud voice, combined with the door slamming into the wall, had woken Lucas up. He stretched, as he usually did when he woke up, but due to the size of the hospital bed, and the fact that he had been percariously perched on the edge, his stretching caused him to fall onto the floor, his breath leaving his lungs in a sharp exhalation as he smacked onto the hard hospital floor.

Peyton wasn't ready to deal with Brooke yet, so she hastily leaned over the side of the bed, looking down at Lucas with a concerned expression on her face. "Lucas, are you all right?" she asked worridely, ignoring Brooke completely. It was as she was leaning over the side of the bed that she realized how weak and achy she was feeling, and she began to get a bit of a head rush. She leaned back against the pillow with a moan.

Lucas got to his feet as he heard Peyton's moan. She had her eyes shut as the vertigo passed, then she opened her eyes, her green eyes looking up into his crystal clear blue eyes. Lucas had completely forgotton Brooke was in the room, and when he saw Peyton's green eyes, his breath was once again taken from him. He smiled down at her, his hand finding hers and their fingers intertwining. "It's been too long since I've seen those green eyes, Blondie. Do me a favor and don't ever do that to me again," he said, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead.

Peyton had forgotton Brooke was in the room as well, as she smiled up at Lucas. Brooke noticed that the couple was ignoring her, and decided to leave them to their moment. Besides, she knew Haley would probably come in soon, and she wanted to be out of the room before Haley entered it. So she quietly slipped out of the room and down the hallway, nearly running into Haley. Before Haley could start yelling, she held her hands up in surrender. "She's awake," Brooke muttered, before pushing past the group that was headed towards Peyton's room.

Karen had arrived with the boys to find Haley and Nathan asleep in the waiting room. Aiden and Jason had wasted no time in waking their Aunt and Uncle up, and now the five of them were on their way to check on Peyton. Haley decided to ignore Brooke, since her best friend was awake, though her anger did flare at the sight of the brunette. She let it go and had to keep herself from running towards Peyton's room.

When Haley burst into the room, closely followed by the others, she saw that Peyton was, indeed, awake, still staring at Lucas, the way Brooke had left them. Haley paused in the doorway, but the boys broke into a run as they saw their mother. They both jumped up onto Peyton's bed, each laying on one side of her. Peyton broke her eye contact with Lucas, hugging her boys tight to her, placing a kiss on the top of each of their heads. After a few moments of the boys clinging to their mother, Lucas joked, "What about me? Don't I get a hug?"

The boys sat up, then jumped at their father. After hugging Lucas, Aiden climbed back onto the bed with his mother, while Jason stayed in Lucas's lap as he sat back down in his chair next to Peyton. Peyton looked past her family, finally noticing the others in the doorway. Haley had gotten tired of letting the family have their moment. She wanted to hug her best friend. So she moved forward, embracing Peyton before moving to the chair she had occupied the night before. "I'm so glad you're okay," she informed her best friend.

Peyton smiled back at her, somewhat weakly, just nodding. There wasn't much to say. Nathan stepped forward, also expressing the sentiment that he was glad she was awake. Peyton nodded, knowing he really meant it, which just proved how far they had come. She looked past him to see Karen, standing at the foot of her bed, and her smile widened and she opened her arms. "Thanks so much for bringing the boys, Karen. You didn't have to, you know," she said, as the older woman came forward to embrace her.

Karen smiled back at Peyton as she straightened. "Yes, I did have to come. I would have been worried sick about you all night. Besides, the boys were looking forward to seeing their mother, and their new baby sister," she said, her tone leaving no room for arguement. She realized, as Peyton's smile disappeared, that she hadn't been fully informed about what had happened yet.

Peyton bit her lip, looking at Lucas, who sighed. The others took the hint. Haley picked up one of the boys, Karen picked up the other, and they all left with the pretense of going to get some breakfast. "Well, Peyton," he paused, trying to find the right words to say. "I really am sorry about the kiss with Brooke. I never meant it to happen, and I pushed her away. It really only re-enforced to me that I love no one other than you, and I never want to lose you again. When I thought I had lost you yesterday," he paused again, shuddering with the memory. "Anyway, before we go into specifics about what happened yesterday, I asked you a question. You said something, after the pain started, but I want your honest answer, now, when you're not distracted by pain," he said.

With that, Lucas got down on one knee, kneeling by her bedside. He pulled the box out of his pocket. "Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, I love you, so so much, and I always will. I told you once that we were True Love Always. I guess somewhere along the way, I became to anxious, or scared, because when I asked the first time, and you said someday, I gave up on us, and I shouldn't have. I can't live without you Peyton. Yesterday really helped me to realize that. I want to spend everyday of the rest of my life with you. Now, I'll wait for you forever, and this time I really mean that, but I'd also love for you to be my wife. So, what do you say? Will you marry me, and make me the luckiest man alive?" he asked, once again opening the ring box before her.

Peyton had sat up during his speech, and there were tears forming in her eyes. She had been sure of the answer she had given him yesterday, and now she was even more sure. She hadn't changed her opinion in the slightest. She nodded, reaching down to take his hand and pull him up towards her. "Yes, Lucas Eugene Scott, I will marry you," she said, before pulling his lips to hers. When she pulled away, leaning her forehead against his and breathing heavily, she added, "It took you long enough," with a slight laugh.

Lucas rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything. He was too happy. She'd said yes. He brought his lips back to hers, kissing her hungrily. The next time she pulled away for air, he was fully sitting on the bed next to her. "Well, are you going to put that ring on me or not?" she asked, unable to help the smile on her face, even though she tried. He took her left hand, taking the ring out of the box and then sliding it onto her ring finger. He brought her left hand up to his mouth, leaving a kiss on it before dropping their hands back to her lap, while she admired her ring. "I should have been wearing this for months now, but better late than never, I suppose," she said, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

Lucas nodded, pulling her tight against him, before he realized there was a reason everyone had left in the first place. He reluctantly slid off of her bed, sitting in the chair next to her, but keeping their fingers intertwined. He sighed, and she took in a deep breath as she waited. He squeezed her fingers tenderly, and she nodded, ready for him to tell her about whatever had happened. "You remember everything about yesterday, up until the point where you passed out, right?" he asked, and she nodded, cautiously. "Well, I got you here as fast as I could, and the doctors immediately took you in. When the doctor came to speak to me, he told me that you had gone into premature labor, due to stress, and that they had to take the baby, or it was likely that you'd both die," he said, choking up on the last word.

It was Peyton's turn to squeeze his fingers for reassurance, and he looked up at her, she reached out, wiping away the tear that had slid down his cheek. She didn't even want to imagine what it would be like for him to almost die. She shuddered, and focused on him once more, so her imagination wouldn't run away, taking her down roads she didn't want to go down. "Anyway," he continued when he was able, "They did a ceceseran, and took the baby," he broke off, this time for a completely different reason. "Our daughter is beautiful, Peyt. She's going to look just like her mother, I know it. The doctors will, of course, watch over her for the next month, while she's in an incubator, until her lungs finish developing," he said.

Peyton nodded, trying to take it all in. "She's alive though, right?" she asked, just to be sure, as her right hand fingered her stomach. It felt so weird, knowing the baby wasn't in there. It wasn't like when she had had the boys. She had been awake for that. They had just taken her baby girl, though, while she was unconscious. There had been a baby inside her and then she had woken up without the baby. She smiled as she realized that she and Lucas had a daughter. "You saw her? Is she tiny? Oh, God, I was barely past six months," she exclaimed.

Lucas nodded, undersanding somewhat what she was going through. Disbelief still colored her features. It wasn't that she thought he was lying to her, of course, it was just a lot to take in. It had been a lot for him too. "She is so tiny, Peyton. I bet she could fit in the palm of my hand," he held out his right hand, as if in example, and they both looked at it. He looked up at her, taking in the awe on her face. "I, um, kind of named her. I hope you don't mind," he admitted.

Peyton looked up, curiously, and he answered her unasked question. "Well, I used the name you wanted, Chilarie. I also picked a name that kind of came to me when I saw her. I had been so discouraged, Peyton. I had just seen you, lying there, and I just needed a sign, to let me know that you were going to wake up. She was my sign. As soon as I saw her, she gave me hope. She inspired me. So, that's her middle name. Hope," he clarified, somewhat sheepishly, feeling the need to explain how he had come up with the name.

Peyton reached out, moving his chin up so she could look into his eyes. She knew that he was afraid she would be angry with him for naming their daughter while she was unconscious. "Chilarie Hope Scott," she murmured, letting the name roll off her tongue, as he watched for a reaction. She broke into a grin. "I like it, Lucas. I really do," she assured him, bringing him closer so she could kiss him.

Lucas grinned back at her when they pulled away. Before either of them had the chance to speak again, there was the sound of a throat clearing. Both sets of eyes darted to the doorway, and Peyton's smile widened as she saw her brother standing there. He walked around to the opposite side of the bed as Lucas, and Peyton hugged him tightly. "Little sister, I'm glad you're okay," he said, when he pulled back. He noticed the ring on Peyton's finger, and looked over at Lucas. "Scott, it's about time you got your head out of your ass," he paused, and neither of them said anything. "That is, assuming he's the one you're engaged to. You didn't go and agree to marry that rock star, did you? I'd think you'd be smarter than that," he raised an eyebrow at Peyton, who was now blushing, glaring at him.

There was a shuffling in the doorway. "Be nice to your sister, she's in the hospital for goodness sake," a voice said, and the three turned to spot Derek's wife, who happened to be pregnant and holding their three year old daughter, Georgia. Peyton smiled at the woman, extremely grateful to her and, as she always was, thankful to have her as a sister-in-law. She approached Peyton, setting down her daughter, who was reaching for her aunt, before hugging the blonde. "He's really glad you're okay, but he prefers to hide it. You know how your brother is," she stage-whispered as she was hugging Peyton.

Peyton grinned, holding on to her neice as Isabelle pulled back, lightly whacking her husbands arm, but smiling adoringly at him anyway. Peyton looked up at her brother, once again sending him a glare as she played with her neice. "You're lucky you have such and amazing wife, and cute daughter, otherwise I wouldn't keep you around," she teased. "For your information, Lucas did propose, and I did say yes. I ended things with Pete last week," she confirmed.

Derek nodded, picking up his daughter as she reached for him, and taking the seat next to Peyton. He looked at his wife, silently urging her to sit down. She did so, placing a hand on her stomach as she did. She was now eight months, and Peyton was surprised she had gotten on the plane. Peyton hadn't wanted to be away from her doctor so close to her due date when she had been pregnant with the twins. "By the way, you have a niece now, as well, so you better be nice to me, or I won't allow my fiance to take you to see her. I haven't even seen her yet," Peyton complained, crossing her arms over her chest. She couldn't hide her smile, though, after she had used the word fiance. It was nice to use that word.

Lucas had grinned too, when she had said it, and he reached out, taking her hand and intertwining their fingers again. The door opened again, interrupting the scene, and Peyton looked up to see Brooke in the doorway once more, twisting her fingers, a sure sign that she was nervous. Peyton sighed, she had known that this encounter would have to come sooner or later. She had just hoped it would be later. "Hey, Lucas, can you take Derek, Isabelle and Georgia to go see the baby. Then can you find my doctor, and figure out when I can be released, so I can go see our daughter?" she requested.

Lucas held Peyton's gaze for a long moment, trying to make sure she'd be all right. Peyton smiled weakly, not to sure herself, but they both knew this needed to happen. So he stood, leading Derek and his family out of the room, closing the door behind them, leaving the two friends inside. Peyton took a deep breath, waiting for Brooke to start. Brooke seemed to realize that Peyton wasn't going to break the silence. "I'm so sorry, Peyton. You have to realize, it was completely my fault, not Lucas's at all, and I'm really sorry. It was stupid, and the kiss didn't mean anything," she pleaded with her friend, begging her to understand.

Peyton took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly, looking anywhere but Brooke. After a few moments, she finally had the nerve to look at Brooke. "Why did you do it?" she asked. That was the only thing she needed to know. Brooke stared back at Peyton, the tears welling in her eyes, even though she'd promised herself she wouldn't get emotional. She didn't have an answer. Peyton could see that and she shook her head, looking away again. "Brooke, I think you should just go. You're the one who's been telling me for ages, that I'm meant to be with Lucas, and yesterday you kissed him. I could lose my daughter because of you. I almost did. Please, just go. I can't talk about this now," she said, reaching up to dry the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

Brooke felt horrible, and turned to leave the room before the tears could fall. She knew what she had done was wrong, but hadn't Lucas cheated on her with Peyton while they had been going out? Brooke knew better than to mention that right now, though, so she just left the room, silently closing the door behind herself. With a sigh, Peyton sunk into the pillows, wishing she had never agreed to come to the cabin for the weekend. Granted, she might not be with Lucas again if she hadn't, but she didn't honestly believe that. She believed that she and Lucas would have worked it out, with or without going to the cabin, and if they hadn't gone to the cabin, she'd still be carrying her daughter, instead of worrying that she might die.

Peyton had fallen back to sleep by the time the door opened again, and Lucas hesitated for a moment, before moving over to her bedside, shaking her slightly. She awoke with a start, and then smiled up at Lucas. "I could get used to waking up like this. Although, I'd prefer you right about here," she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his lips down to hers.

When Lucas pulled away, he reached out, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I would love to continue that, but we're going to have to wait. The doctor says you're going to have to stay in a hospital for a week, but I managed to convince him to transfer you and Chilarie to the hospital in Tree Hill, so you could be looked after by your doctor. Which means you can put your own clothes on, for the ambulance ride to Tree Hill," he informed her. She sighed. She was not looking forward to spending a week in the hospital.

Lucas knew what she was thinking, so he leaned down to place a kiss on her forehead. "I know how much you hate hospitals, Peyt, but they want to make sure you're really okay, and that means you're going to stay in the hospital for as long as they tell you to. I will not lose you," he whispered into her hair, before pulling back, changing the subject immediately. "Now, you can wear the clothes you came in wearing, which is one of my tee shirts and a pair of boxers, or you could pick something else. Personally, I like the first option," he couldn't help but add with a mischevious grin.

With a laugh, Peyton rolled her eyes at him, sitting up and grabbing his hand, squeezing it. "Where's my suitcase?" she asked. He groaned, pretending to be disappointed, but stepped outside the room, dragging her suitcase in after him as he re-entered it. He placed it at the foot of her bed and she opened it, digging through it. She picked out a pair of pajama pants, and was about to reach for a big tee shirt, but decided to grab the tank top instead. She looked at him expectantly, but he just stared back at her. "Well, hurry up and turn around, you perv. Close that door, too," she ordered, waiting for him to follow her instructions before slipping out of the hospital gown and into her clothes.

As soon as she had the tank top on, she felt his arms around her, and his lips on her neck. "You know, I am your fiance now, I'm allowed to see you naked. Not to mention, I've done so before," he muttered, before working his lips down to her bare shoulder. She couldn't respond, because the giggles that had started as his lips touched her skin wouldn't allow her to speak.

They were interrupted by the door opening, and everyone-except Brooke and Rachel-following the doctor into the room. Peyton jumped away from Lucas faster than a woman who had been unconscious the day before probably should. Lucas snickered into his hand, much to Peyton's embarassment, and she turned bright red. The rest of the adults-except the doctor, who actually having a hard time hiding his smile-started laughing as well. Peyton cleared her throat, pretending not to be affected. "So, doc, can I get out of here now?" she asked.

He just shook his head. "Sorry, Peyton, you can be released to Tree Hill Memorial, but you're going to have to stay there for as long as they want to keep you. I hope you have something to keep you busy during the ride in the ambulance. Lucas won't be able to accompany you," he informed her, causing Haley to snicker again. "The baby is already on the way there, and should be set up when you arrive. It's up to the doctors there whether you get to see her or not, though," he added. The papers were soon signed, and Peyton was on her way to the hospital in Tree Hill, in an ambulance, while her friends and family got to drive home.

A/N: My muse really wanted me to write another chapter on this story, and, well, I can't refuse my muse now, can I? I've been sick all week, though, and I just went back to school today, so I'm going to have tons of make-up work over the weekend, so I dunno how much I'll be writing. Hopefully I'll be able to get it all done, and get some writing done as well, but I'm not making any promises. Anyway, I only got a few reviews on the last chapter, so I dunno what y'all thought of it. Was it good? Was this one good? Let me know what you think, please and thank you.

Disclaimer: If I owned anything, I wouldn't be writing on fanfiction. 


	23. Chapter 23

A month later, Peyton was pacing a hospital room, with Lucas standing, leaning against a wall and watching her pace. The lungs of her baby girl were finally developed enough. They were finally allowed to take Chilarie Hope Scott home. They were currently waiting for the nurse to bring them their daughter and the proper release papers, and Peyton was nervous, hence the pacing.

As she paced by him, Lucas reached out and grabbed her arm. He couldn't take her pacing anymore. His hand wrapped around her small wrist, though not tightly, and he spun her around, pulling her close and then wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her in place. "It's all going to be fine, Blondie. You're going to make me dizzy if you keep pacing, though, so just stay still, and stop worrying. Our daughter is going to be perfect" he said, trying to calm himself down as much as he was trying to calm her.

Peyton took a deep breath, allowing him to pull her close. She knew he was right. He had to be right. Chilarie had been perfectly monitored over the past month, and the baby had developed just fine for a baby who had been born three months premature. Besides, the doctor wouldn't have allowed her to come home if she wasn't ready. Actually, the doctors hadn't expected Chilarie to be ready until next week, but when Peyton had arrived earlier, she had been told that she could take the baby home today, much to her surprise.

She looked up at Lucas, a small smile forming on her face as she nodded. "I just can't believe we get to take our baby girl home today," she said, still somewhat in disbelief that she actually had a daughter. She hadn't even gotten to hold the baby yet, but she had been to the hospital every day to see her, and she still couldn't believe it. She knew that as soon as she had the baby in her arms, it would all become a reality.

Lucas was still in shock as well. It was all so surreal. He had moved back into Peyton's house-this time in the same bedroom-when she was released from the hospital, and the past three weeks, living with her and the boys had been like a dream come true for him. Even though they both spent so much time in the hospital, to look over Chilarie, it had almost felt like before this whole mess, when they had been a family. Now that they got to add a daughter to their already perfect family, he was sure no man on earth was happier than he was right now. "Amazing," he murmured in response to her statement, as he looked down at her.

She smiled up at him, but there was no chance for her to reply, because the door opened, and she was out of his arms before he even realized it. A nurse came into the room, carrying a tiny pink bundle. Peyton immediately took her daughter from the nurse, and the nurse left to go get the papers and to leave the parents alone with the newborn they were getting to hold for the first time. Peyton smiled down at her daughter wrapped in the blanket, unable to believe she was so lucky. She was extremely careful for the first few moments, but then she seemed to relax into it, and she wasn't as nervous anymore.

As Peyton rocked her daughter, with Lucas standing right next to her, Chilarie opened her eyes, allowing her parents to see her eyes for the first time. They were a gorgeous mix of Peyton's green and Lucas's blue. Peyton looked up at Lucas, a wide grin on her facea. "Want to hold her, Daddy?" she asked, gesturing for Lucas to take their daughter.

Lucas walked over and carefully took their daughter in his arms. She was so tiny, he felt like he was going to break her. He had seen how Peyton looked so at ease while holding Chilarie, but he was worried about hurting the baby. She was smaller at one month than the boys had been when they were born. "She's only three pounds, one ounce, and eleven inches long," he murmured in awe, mainly to himself. He looked up at Peyton and could tell she was just itching to hold their daughter again, so he carefully handed her over.

The door opened again and a nurse came in, giving the papers to Lucas to sign, since Peyton's hands were occupied. The nurse gave them a few instructions, made sure they didn't have any questions, and then left, leaving the happy couple to take their baby home. They walked out to their SUV, with Peyton holding the baby in her arms. He opened the back door for her, and she put Chilarie in the small carseat, buckling her in correctly before getting in the passenger seat of the SUV, allowing Lucas to drive.

No one knew that they were taking the baby home today. The boys were currently at school. Haley and Nathan were at their own house, which just so happened to be right down the street from Peyton and Lucas's, and around the corner from Brooke's. They had moved in a week after Peyton had been released from the hospital, but their house still wasn't completly unpacked and decorated yet because Haley wasn't allowed to do anything due to her pregnancy, and Nathan had practice everyday, so he was having trouble finding time to do everything she wanted him to do. He had been working the past two Saturdays on it, though, and he should be done by the next Saturday, and Haley had promised to have the other Scott family over as soon as it was done.

Neither of them had talked to Brooke since Peyton had been transferred to Tree Hill Memorial. Quite surprisingly, neither of them had run into her either. They had actually seen Rachel around town, and knew through gossip that Rachel had bought a house in their neighborhood, but they had never stopped to talk to her, or gone looking for her house. Brooke hadn't come by to apologize either, so they were forced to believe Brooke had given up.

Peyton had the baby out of the car before Lucas could even get out, leaving him to follow her with the diaper bag. He unlocked the front door and she went up the stairs immediately, taking Chilarie to the nursery that they had just finished painting last week. The walls were lavender, with little baby items like pacifiers and bottles painted on them in sea green. Also, Peyton and Lucas had chosen some of their favorite quotes and song lyrics and wrote them on the walls in black. The ceiling of the room was sky blue, with white clouds painted on it.

The furniture of the room was done in a mix of lavender, sea green and baby blue. Peyton smiled as she looked around the room, happy to note that there was not one hint of pink. She laid Chilarie on the changing table changing her diaper and deciding to put her into a dark green premie onesie that stated 'Mommie's Girl,' on it, wrapping her in a lighter green blanket. Once she had changed her daughter, she picked her up, sitting in the rocking chair, not quite wanting to put her baby girl down just yet. "This is your room, Chilarie, yes it is," she cooed to the tiny infant in her arms.

Lucas stood in the doorway, unnoticed by Peyton, watching as the love of his life interacted with their first and-so far-only daughter. He smiled as he looked around the room. "Yeah, Momma's training you to be just like her, isn't she baby girl? I bet you're the only little girl that has a room without any pink in it at all, by your mommies choice," he said. Lucas often teased his sook-to-be wife about her blatant dislike for the color pink.

Peyton looked up, blushing slightly, and stuck her tongue out at her fiance. He stepped into the room, walking over and kissing her on the forehead in response. He softly caressed Chilaries chubby cheek, smiling down at the two most important girls in his life. His daughter hadn't been home for half an hour yet, and she had him wrapped around her finger. He knew that despite what her onesie proclaimed, Chilarie would definately be a Daddy's girl. "I'll be back, my girls, I have to go pick up the boys. I need some male companionship in this house," he joked, the smile on his face letting her know he didn't mean it.

With a nod, she looked down at her daughter, perfectly content right where she was. She had originally wanted to take Chilarie with them to pick up the boys, but she figured it would be better to tell the boys at home. Lucas seemed to realize this as well. A few minutes after Lucas left, Peyton's stomach growled, and she decided to do something about dinner. She stood, placing Chilarie in her crib and setting the baby monitor down next to her, grabbing the other one before heading out of the room.

After calling her best friend, and inviting Haley and Nathan over for dinner, Peyton headed into the kitchen, looking for something to make for dinner. She spent half an hour in the kitchen, looking for something she had some hopes in cooking, before giving up, ordering in some Chinese, and heading for the living room, making sure that she still had the baby monitor on her. She decided to ask Karen for some cooking lessons.

As Peyton sat down to watch TV, she realized how much she was enjoying the silence. Now that there was a newborn in the house, she was sure that she wouldn't get many more silent moments, especially since they still had two five year olds as well. She really wouldn't trade her family for the world, though. She was finally getting married to the man of her dreams and even though it had taken them a while to get to where they were, she wouldn't change it for the world. Actually, there was one thing she'd change. She'd find some way to get it without losing her friendship with Brooke. She really missed Brooke's friendship, though she wouldn't admit it to anyone.

She was just beginning to wonder where the boys were-it really should have taken Lucas only about ten minutes to pick them up from school and get back to the house-when she heard the front door open. The boys came running into the living room, and she could instantly tell that they had done something they weren't necessarily supposed to do. She thought they had gone out for ice cream, or something like that. She was completely surprised when a small brown puppy with a red bow tied around its neck came running into the room after her boys.

Aiden jumped up onto the couch with his mother, and the puppy jumped up after him. Jason was on Aiden's other side, and the puppy was between the twins. Aiden looked up at his mother, a huge smile on his face. "Look what Daddy got us, Momma," he said, as if she couldn't see the puppy he was playing with. Peyton had to force a smile for her kids, but she was not happy. Getting a puppy was all that the boy had talked about for weeks. They had literally been begging her, but she had been putting it off, hoping they would forget about it.

As Lucas came into the room, his hands in his pockets, shufflung his feet sheepishly, she knew that he realized she was not happy with this. She made sure the boys attention was completely focused on the puppy before she turned her glare on Lucas. He looked up, letting blue eyes meet green. "I know you haven't exactly said yes yet, but there was a guy giving away puppies, and the boys just begged me. Look how cute it is," he said, taking his hand out of his pocket to point at the puppy.

Peyton looked down at the squirming puppy on the couch. From the looks of it, it was a chocolate lab, and Peyton had to admit, it was sort of cute. If she was going to have a dog, she would prefer a chocolate lab. That, or a dalmation. Not that she planned on saying that out loud right now. She returned her glare to Lucas. "We're going to talk about this later. Don't name the dog yet, boys, I'm not sure we can keep it," she said, getting to her feet. "Now, stay here, I have a surprise for you," she said, heading up the stairs.

A few moments later, Peyton reentered the living room, holding a tiny bundle in her arms. She pushed the dog out of the way and angled the bundle toward the boys, letting them see their baby sister. "Jason, Aiden, meet your little sister, Chilarie Hope Scott," she said, unable to help the grin that spread across her face. She looked up at Lucas, and saw a matching grin on his face.

The boys both examined their little sister with awe. "She's so teenie tiny, Momma. She looks like a little doll," Aiden said, reaching out to touch his sisters pudgy cheek. Jason, on the other hand, was busy trying to pronounce her name. It seemed no matter how hard he tried, he could not say Chilarie. He gave up after a few sputtering attempts. "Can I hold her?" he asked, looking up at his mom with excitement in his eyes.

Lucas and Peyton shared a look, but it was Lucas who answered. "Sure you can, but you have to sit further back on the couch, and put this pillow under your arms," he instructed, helping Jason get set up so he could hold the baby. When Jason was deemed ready, Peyton set the tiny baby in his arms carefully, nervously giving instructions and admonations as she hovered next to the couch. "By the way boys," Lucas added, from his perch on the arm of the couch next to Jason, "if you can't pronounce her name, you can just call her Hope. Your Momma's the crazy one who came up with her first name," he teased, looking at Peyton.

Peyton stuck her tongue out at her fiance, but he had succeeded in relaxing her some. She knew she couldn't be worried about Chilarie 24/7, and Lucas was right next to her. Jason wouldn't do anything to hurt his sister. It was just hard not worring about her, considering all it took to get her there. She was so tiny, and fragile, Peyton felt the constant need to protect her. She knew she could trust Lucas to watch Jason with her, so she took a seat on the other side of Aiden. After a few minutes, Peyton helped Aiden set up, and Lucas transferred Chilarie from Jason's arms to Aiden's.

A few minutes later the front door opened interrupting the quiet family moment. Lucas had picked Jason up, taking his spot on the couch and then pulling him onto his lap. Aiden was in the middle of the couch, holding his baby sister. Peyton was on the other side of Aiden, and she kept sharing glances with Lucas over the heads of their children. The puppy was playing on the floor at their feet. As soon as Haley came in, she noticed the cute family moment, and flipped open her phone, snapping a picture before any of them could process what had happened.

When Peyton looked up at her best friend, she rolled her eyes, but she knew she would ask Haley to text her that picture later. Haley looked at the scene, finally processing what she was looking at. She noticed the dog first. "Why, Peyton Sawyer, I can't believe you didn't tell me you got a..." she trailed off, finally noticing the bundle in Aiden's arms. She rushed forward to pick up her niece from her nephew. "Why didn't you tell me my niece was here, I'd have been here ages ago," she said, looking down at the gorgeous baby.

Peyton relaxed more fully into the couch next to Aiden, now that her daughter was in more capable hands. Haley was still cooing over the baby, wiht Nathan standing over her shoulder, a few minutes later, when the doorbell rang. Peyton looked over to Lucas, who had scooted closer to her once the twins had moved to the floor to play with the dog. "Will you get that? It's the Chinese I ordered earlier," she said, because no one they knew would have knocked, because everyone of their friends knew that Peyton left the front door open.

Lucas sighed, standing and heading for the door, getting out his wallet as he did so. He had never been able to tell Peyton Sawyer no. Nathan laughed at his soon-to-be sister-in-law. "Nice, Sawyer. You invite me and Hales over for dinner, and then you order Chinese, and make my brother pay for it. You're an excellent host," he teased the blonde.

Peyton threw a pillow at his head, but he caught it with ease. "If you feel that way then I guess you can go home then," she teased back, pointing in the direction of the door. She was laughing, though, and it ruined the effect she had been going for. Haley chuckled at the banter between her best friend and her husband. Before anyone could say anything else, though, Brooke entered the living room, her arms full of tiny garment bags, Lucas following behind her, sending an apologetic look towards Peyton.

There was a long moment of awkward silence, except for the boys exclamations of, "Aunt Brooke," as they jumped up, running to hug her perfectly toned legs. Peyton was the one to break the silence, though it wasn't with any words of comfort toward the brunette who had just interrupted what was shaping up to be a perfectly nice evening. "You're not the Chinese I ordered," it wasn't a very smart comment, but it was the only thing she could think of to say, due to the shock that seemed to be controlling her mouth.

The comment seemed to break the spell that had fallen over everyone except the twins, though. Lucas and Nathan took the twins and the puppy outside, with the promise of basketball. Haley handed Chilarie to Peyton, and then collapsed on the couch, rubbing her stomach, because she had been on her feet for too long. Peyton, however, couldn't seem to move as she waited for Brooke to speak. She didn't move until the baby started crying, and she completely focused on the task of soothing her daughter, ignoring Brooke, as Haley was.

After a long moment, which consisted of Peyton consoling Chilarie and Haley rubbing her stomach absently, staring off into space and Brooke still standing in the doorway, somewhat nervously. She seemed to realize no yelling was going to start, so she gathered her courage and stepped further into the room."Um, I have been meaning to come by, but I've been extremely busy, and I wanted to wait until I was finished with this," neither of the other women looked at her.

She began to open some of the garment bags, stepping even further into the room, revealing some really cute baby clothes. "I've been busy working on my new line, which is called Baby Brooke. I made this whole line of clothes, inspired by your daughter, and I have a whole wardrobe here that I made for her by my own hand, which probably took me the longest. I had to draw out the designs and then do the sewing," the last statement was said mainly to herself, and she trailed off, looking at the other women, waiting for any reaction at all. "You have to know how sorry I am. That was the stupidest thing I've ever done, not because I was caught, but because it hurt my two best friends," she added suddenly, in a pleading voice.

Peyton was amazed, but she still didn't say anything. Of course the clothes were amazing, but Brooke couldn't honestly expect that to make things right, did she? It was a nice gesture, but it couldn't just fix everything. There were things Peyton needed to know. Well, actually, she needed to know one thing in particular. She didn't want to have this conversation in front of Haley, though. She knew it had to be between her and Brooke, and only the two of them. "I need to feed Chilarie," she said simply, turning and heading up the stairs.

Brooke just stood there, watching Peyton walk away, wondering if that was Peyton's way of brushing her off and being nice about it. Peyton was halfway up the stairs when she realized that she couldn't hear footsteps following her. "Brooke, come with me and we can talk," she called over her shoulder, not breaking pace. She could hear Brooke behind her in the entry way, and realized Brooke had left all the clothes in the living room. "Bring the baby clothes," she added, making it to the top of the stairs and turning the corner.

Peyton was already sitting in the rocking chair, feeding Chilarie with a blanket covering the baby when Brooke stopped in the doorway of the nursery. Brooke chuckled as she looked around the room. "Only you, P. Sawyer, would decorate a baby girl's nursery with not one hint of pink," she said the same thing Lucas had been telling her ever since they had decorated the nursery. Peyton didn't smile when Brooke said it, though. She had other things on her mind.

Brooke stopped laughing when she realized that Peyton didn't even crack a smile. She looked at the blonde, and they both knew that the ball was in Peyton's court. It was up to her whatever happened to their friendship now. Peyton really wished she could just let the issue go. After all, things had ended up great, right? She just couldn't, though. She knew that one question would haunt her for the rest of her life if she didn't ask now. "Why did you do it?" she asked, speaking softly.

For a moment, Peyton thought Brooke hadn't heard her. Then she glanced up at the normally bubbly brunettes face, and realized that there was no way that Brooke hadn't heard the question. Brooke stayed silent for a long moment. She turned her back on Peyton, and Peyton began to wonder if she was even going to answer at all when Brooke finally spoke. "I was scared. Things were so simple when I was with Lucas. I guess for a moment I just wanted to go back to that. When things weren't so complicated. When my parents didn't hate me because of who I am. When I was so sure of who I was. I guess for a moment I just tricked myself into thinking I still wanted him," she paused.

There was a long moment when neither of them spoke, as Peyton tried to process the answer. She was finally ready to forgive Brooke, and move on with their lives, because, to be honest, even if she didn't approve, she could understand where Brooke was coming from. Brooke wasn't finished yet, though. "I was also jealous. You and Lucas, and Haley and Nathan. You know exactly what you want, and you fight for it. I don't even know what I want anymore, and even if I did, I'm not sure I could have the strength to fight for it. You're so strong, Peyton, stronger than you realize, and you have the perfect life. I really envy you that," she still had her back turned, and now silent tears were sliding down her cheeks.

Peyton wanted to stand up and hug Brooke, but with the baby in her arms, she couldn't. "Brooke, you have a great life as well. You have to know that. You're a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. When you found about Lucas and I, apart from that first slip, you just took it in stride, and did everything you could to get me together with your ex-boyfriend. I'm not sure I'd be able to do the same thing in your shoes, even if I knew he was meant to be with someone else. You're a pretty great person, B. Davis. You have this huge clothing empire, practically. You have me and Hales, and Luke and Nate, and a neice and two nephews, not to mention whatever Haley's having, that look up to you. You're dating Chase, and honestly, you chouldn't find a better guy anywhere. Or if you want Rachel, that's okay too. Just figure out what's in your heart and go for it, and you'll never go wrong," she told Brooke, not just to say those things, but because she honestly believed every word she said.

Brooke turned to Peyton, a smile on her face beneath the tears. She could tell that Peyton had really meant it, and that meant the world to her. She had nearly gotten Peyton killed, had nearly caused her to lose Chilarie, but Peyton still found it in her heart to forgive her. She knew then that things would be okay between her and Peyton. She still wasn't sure about Haley, but she knew that if Peyton was her friend, Haley would come around in time. "When you put it like that, I do sound pretty amazing, don't I?" she joked.

Peyton grinned back at Brooke, glad that things were finally put right between the two friends. Now that they had, Peyton realized that her life really was kind of perfect, and with the wedding coming up, it could only get better. Brooke began to put the clothes away, and just as she finished, Chilarie finished eating, and the doorbell rang. "Go downstairs, stay with us for dinner. I'm going to burp Chilarie and I'll be right down," Peyton told Brooke, knowing that it had to be the Chinese food at the door this time.

Brooke nodded and headed downstairs, taking her time. She realized that everyone had not forgiven her yet. She still had to talk to Haley. Everyone was in the dining room when she made it downstairs. Brooke was surprised that this time, the twins were not the only ones that greeted her with enthuasium. Haley stood and waddled over to Brooke when she noticed her in the entryway. Brooke half-expected to get hit again, but Haley pulled her into a hug instead. "It's good to have you back, Tigger," she said, using a nickname she had given Brooke because of her bounciness.

After a moment of shock, Brooke relaxed into the hug. Now everything was the way it should be, at least, with the friendships in her life. She knew that the guys had only avoided her because of their significant others. They all took a seat at the table and began talking as they dished up food, waiting to start eating until Peyton got downstairs a few moments later. Peyton was surprised to see them all getting along when she made it downstairs-she had been expecting to have to talk with Haley-but pleased nonetheless.

With a smile, she sat down at the table with her closest friends. As she was dishing up food, she realized she didn't have the baby monitor, but Haley slid it across the table to her as she made to stand up. Looking down at the baby monitor, Peyton knew why Haley had been so easy to forgive Brooke. She had heard everything that had been said. Oh well, if they were all friends again, it didn't matter how they had gotten there. Everyone stayed long after Lucas and Peyton put the kids to bed, and long after they were gone, while Peyton and Lucas were laying in bed together, she couldn't help but remember with a smile Brooke's earlier comment. Things really were perfect.

But how long could they stay that way?

A/N: I love Leyton happiness. To bad things can't stay perfect. The whole Brooke making a decision about who she has to be with has to happen before this fic ends, and also, I have a whole other mess of drama to throw at them. That'll wait until after the wedding, though. Hope you like this chapter. If anyone has a suggestion about who you'd like Brooke to be with, go ahead and tell me. I'm not entirely sure yet myself, so your responses could really help me to choose. Oh, and what do you think Haley and Nathan should have? Only a few more chapters before she has to have her baby. Leave a review, even if it's to tell me you hate the fic, or something. I really like hearing what my readers have to say. Thanks to those who have reviewed, I really appreciate it.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. 


	24. Chapter 24

Peyton reached across the bed, her previously closed eyes opening when she found it empty. She looked around for a moment in confusion before she remembered what today was, and a smile spread across her face. It was worth not waking up next to Lucas-even though she had gotten used to it again since he had moved back in-when she thought of the reason she had sent him away in the first place. After glancing at the clock, she decided to sleep in for just a little bit longer, and she closed her eyes again, snuggling deeper into the matress.

That did not last long, though, before the twins came bounding into the room, and she felt them as they climbed up onto the bed, and began jumping on it to wake her up. She feigned sleep for a few more moments, until she heard Chilarie get fussy over the baby monitor. She opened her eyes and grabbed Jason, who was closest, by the ankles, causing him to land on the bed next to her as she began tickling his stomach. She started to tickle Aiden as well, and alternated between the two of them for a few minutes, not giving either of them a chance to recover from their laughter.

When Chilarie began to start wailing, Peyton knew she had to get up and feed the now five month old. She placed a quick kiss on the forehead of each of the twins, and got out of bed, making her way across the hall to the nursery. She picked up Chilarie out of the crib, grinning when she stopped crying at the sight of her mother. Peyton took a seat in the rocking chair, setting Chilarie up to be fed as she said good morning to her daughter.

She was just finishing up, moving Chilarie to the changing table, when she heard the front door open. There were footsteps on the stairs, and then a voice from the doorway. "I have never seen Peyton Saywer looking so cheerful this early in the morning. Who are you and what did you do to my best friend?" Peyton's grinned widened at the voice, but she just finished dressing Chilarie before she turned toward the door.

Peyton rolled her eyes at Haley when she finally picked Chilarie up as she turned to face the door, but the effect was ruined by the grin that was still on her face. "Well, it's not every day your best friend gets married to the man of her dreams, is it?" she retorted, with a laugh of joy. "Besides, I've caught up on my sleep since Chilarie started sleeping through the night," she couldn't help but add as she walked over to give Haley a hug, being careful not to smash the baby, of course.

When Haley pulled away, she smiled back at her best friend. Then her expression turned thoughtful, and Peyton wondered what was going through Haley's mind. She didn't get the chance to ask. "Happy looks good on you," she finally said, decisively, before turning her attention to Chilarie. "Now, let me see my neice," she said, pulling the baby girl out of Peyton's arms.

Peyton didn't say anything as Haley pulled her baby girl out of her arms. Instead, she bent down to the baby carrier Haley had sat on the floor, and unbuckled her nephew, straightening as she pulled him into her arms. She bounced the one month old in her arms, trying to get him to open his eyes. He was already beginning to look like his uncle, and if Peyton didn't completely trust her best friend, and her soon-to-be husband, she would question his parenting. Since she did trust both of them, though, it had become a joke among their group of friends. "Hello there, James Lucas Scott, how are you today?" she cooed to her nephew.

Haley had requested that Peyton waited until after she lost her baby weight to have the wedding. Since Haley had given her the same courtsey and Peyton believed that she could wait a little longer, given how long they had already waited. She had also figured that it would give her a little bit more time to get used to the idea of being a wife, and everything else. Now, though, Peyton knew she was ready, and she wasn't sure she could wait any longer to become Mrs Lucas Scott.

Haley could see the excitement building in her best friends face, and she knew exactly what Peyton was thinking. "Well, Nathan is downstairs, waiting for the boys. Brooke and Rachel should be here soon enough. She called me and said she'd be on her way soon, and she was bringing Rachel to do your make-up," she said, shifting Chilarie to her hip, and sharing a knowing look with Peyton, who decided not to comment on how much time Rachel and Brooke had spent together lately, and the way Brooke still insisted that they were just friends. "Let's get this show on the road, missy, you need to get in the shower," she finished.

Peyton sighed contentedly, nodding and calling her boys into the room. She put James, who had already been nicknamed Jamie by Brooke, back into the carrier, because he had already fallen back to sleep, and kissed each of her boys before sending them outside to Nathan. When they were gone, she went into her bedroom, where Haley had already put the dresses that she, as maid of honor, had picked up for Peyton. Peyton put Chilarie down in the playpen she had set up in the room, and then headed for the shower.

By the time Peyton came out of the shower, wrapped in a robe, Brooke and Rachel had already arrived. Brooke studied Peyton's face as Peyton walked into the bedroom. "Tutor Mom is right, P. Sawyer, you do look all happy today. Who knew a wedding with Broody would be so exciting," she kinked an eyebrow, and couldn't help but add, "Not that I want a wedding with Broody," for clarification. Peyton was not amused. "Too soon, I suppose," she bit her lip, a trait she happened to get from Peyton, at Peyton's somewhat annoyed look.

Peyton shook her head, holding her hand up with her forefinger just millimeters away from her thumb. "Just a little bit," she said, before shaking off the annoyance completely as she thought of Lucas. This was not a day for being annoyed. Today was a happy day. "So, what are we doing with my hair?" she asked, moving in front of her mirror and running her fingers through the wet curls.

A few hours, and a lot of laughs later, the four women and two babies were ready to head to the church. Brooke and Haley were in matching red dresses, while Rachel was wearing something from Clothes Over Bros. Peyton's hair and make-up was done, and she was currently in a tee-shirt and jeans wait to change until they got to the church. Chilarie was wearing a little dress the same color red as Haley and Brooke's dresses. James was wearing his first suit, designed for him by Brooke.

It was half an hour before the wedding was supposed to start, and Peyton was in the bridal room with Haley and Brooke. Rachel was sitting in the front pew with Chilarie, James and Karen, who was helping her look after the babies. Most of the guests had already arrived, and were taking their seats. Derek and his family, including his new daughter Daisy, had arrived, and he would be walking Peyton down the aisle. Brooke was just helping Peyton with her veil when they heard the commotion.

Brooke ran out of the room to find out what was going on, and Peyton nervously sank into a chair as she waited, listening to the faint noises, wondering what she could possibly have done to deserve to have her wedding day, the day she'd been dreaming about for ages, ruined. Was she a horrible person in a past life, or what? A few minutes later, Brooke came back into the room, eyes wide, biting her lip, a sure sign something was up. She didn't appear to want to spill what had happened. "Brooke, just tell me," Peyton said with a sigh.

Brooke swallowed loudly, trying to think of the right words to describe what had just happened. Finally, she just spat the whole story out. "Well, aparantly, you almost father-in-law arrived just a couple minutes ago, and as soon as he saw Karen, he walked up to her, and they conversed. It seems that Karen is Lucas's mother, and Lucas kind of overheard that, because he was also attracted by the raised voices. I came out of this room just in time to see Lucas storming out of here. Aparantly he said some nasty words to Karen before he left," she said, quickly, all in one breath, as Brooke tended to do when she was nervous.

Peyton stared at Brooke in amazement for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what had come out of the brunettes mouth, before she sprang into action, her thoughts barely catching up to her actions before she was in her car, still wearing her wedding dress, as she headed for the place where she knew Lucas had gone. She couldn't believe this had happened on her wedding day. She couldn't believe that Karen never said anything. None of that was on her mind as she sped through town, though. All she thought about was Lucas, and what she was going to say to him when she found him.

A few minutes later, Peyton pulled the Comet to a stop next to their SUV, climbing out of the car, leaving her veil on the passenger seat, when she had tossed it when she got in the car. She walked out onto the Rivercourt, noticing him sitting on the bleachers, still in his tux. For a moment, her only thought was how much she loved him, and she just couldn't wait to get married to him. She cursed Dan for ruining her day, as she approached the man she'd love forever. He didn't look up as she sat down next to him, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers. "I'm sorry," she spoke softly, but he heard her.

Lucas looked up in disbelief, staring at the beautiful blonde next to him, for a moment getting lost in her green eyes. He shook his head in wonder, how could he have possibly gotten so lucky? "You have no reason to be sorry. It's not your fault I have two rotten parents, who obviously just want to ruin my wedding day," that thought led him to look her up and down, taking in her wedding dress. "Speaking of which, you make a very beautiful bride, Blondie," he tried to change the subject, knowing that it wouldn't work.

Peyton blushed, and rolled her eyes at the attempted subject change. She decided to ignore the compliment completely, although she hoped that the bleachers weren't ruining the butt of her dress. She leaned closer to him, leaning her forehead against his. "Oh, Luke, I am sorry, though. Sorry our wedding day isn't to be all good memories. We can't let them ruin it for us, though. Today belongs to us, and they can't take it away, unless we let them," she said confidently.

Lucas wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her even closer, needing the comfort. He could barely process everything that had happened. He had woken up this morning, anxious for Peyton to be his wife, and now he found out that his mother had been in Tree Hill all along. He had a million questions going through his mind. Why didn't she ever try to contact him? being the main one. He heaved a sigh when he realized Peyton was waiting for him to say something. "I wish it was that easy," he muttered softly.

Peyton looked up at him, green eyes meeting blue, and for the first time since she had arrived, he thought maybe she was right. They could still get married, and have a nice day, even if it would be somewhat tainted by his parents. He didn't have to focus on that, though. All that mattered was him, and Peyton, and whoever else wanted to share the day with them. Before she could say anything else, he stood up, holding his hand out to her. "Let's go get married, Peyton Saywer," he said, forcing everything else out of his mind.

She beamed up at him, reaching up to delicately take his hand so he could help her off the bleachers. They could deal with everything else some other time. "It's about time, Lucas Scott," she said, reaching up to quickly meet his lips in a kiss before heading towards her Comet. He walked towards the SUV, but she paused just before getting into her vehicle. "I'd say that we'll have bad luck because you've seen me in the dress, but the fates can't be that cruel, can they?" she called out to him before driving away.

Peyton drove the long way back to the church, allowing Lucas time to get there before her. When she pulled to a stop in front of the church, she saw the SUV, which meant he was already inside, as she had been hoping. She checked her cell phone. It was just about time for the wedding to start. She only hoped everything else was ready. She gave herself a moment to take a deep breath before she grabbed her veil and climbed out of the car.

As soon as she stepped into the church, Haley was at Peyton's side, pulling her into a hug. "What's going on? Lucas came back, just a couple minutes ago, to tell us the wedding is still on, and he hoped no one had left. No one had, we were all still confused about the runaway groom and then the bride that followed. He's standing next to the preacher now, waiting for the ceremony to start," she said all of this in one breath, pausing in her rant only to hear what Peyton had to say.

Peyton took in her best friend's frazzled expression, then looked behind Haley, to Brooke, who had just noticed her arrival. It was Brooke that Peyton spoke to. "Well, I need help getting my veil back on. How's my make-up? Did I get any dirt on the butt of my dress?" she asked, moving Haley to the side and turning so that Brooke could see her backside. Neither of her friends looked ready to accept the brush off. "Listen, this is my wedding day. We're going to focus on that and deal with everything else later," she told them, hoping they would leave it at that.

Haley and Brooke shared a look, but they could both tell that Peyton would say no more on the subject. So they spung into action, like Peyton wanted them to. Brooke moved forward to help Peyton with the last minute touch-ups, informing Peyton that her backside was still completely white, thank God. Haley went to go find Derek, who was sitting with his wife and children, also waiting for the start of the ceremony. A few minutes later and Haley was back, Derek hot on her heels, just as Brooke declared that Peyton looked perfect.

It was time. They cued the music, and when it started playing, Brooke went down the aisle first, followed by Haley, and then the wedding march started. Taking a deep breath, Peyton stepped out of the doorway, on Derek's arm, to the aisle. Her eyes barely skimmed over the crowd of people before locking on the blue orbs she loved so much. Her breath caught in her throat, as did Lucas's, when their eyes met. It was then that Peyton realized that she would love this man forever, because she knew that if after five years he still took her breath away, he would never stop.

When she reached Lucas, her grin was even bigger than before. She stood in front of the preacher, and their family and friends, but she barely heard one word the preacher said. Her eyes were locked with Lucas's and to her, he was the only one there. He stared straight back at her, also completely oblivious to the fact that their whole world was watching them. To the two of them, it was as if they were back at the Rivercourt, by themselves. They managed to come back to reality for the vows, and they repeated the standard vow that the preacher spoke, and then exchanged rings, before sharing their first kiss as man and wife.

Then they heard the words that they had been waiting to hear for five years, even if, at times, they hadn't always acknowledged that fact. "I now present to you, Mr and Mrs Lucas Scott," the preacher announced to their whole world. Peyton beamed at Lucas, who was also grinning from ear to ear, relieved that she was finally Peyton Scott. The day had come after some hard times, but she wouldn't trade it for anything, she realized, as she moved her gaze from Lucas, passing over her best friend, and landing on her children.

A/N: I know, it's kind of short, especially for the amount of time since I've updated, but I've been busy. I'm really only posting this because today is my birthday and I thought it would be a nice present, from me to all of you. Tell me what you think. The chapters should be posted quicker, because I've reached some more drama, but I'm not making any promises. Thanks for reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill, or anything mentioned in my fic. 


	25. Chapter 25

Peyton was completely silent as she walked up behind Lucas, but somehow he still knew she was there. He just kept staring forward as Peyton sat down next to him, not giving any sign that he knew she was there, but Peyton didn't need him to physically acknowledge her. It was part of their connection; they just knew when the other was near. She reached out, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers while leaning her head against his shoulder, as her gaze fell onto the name on the gravestone in front of them.

It was the middle of the night, on their wedding night, and half an hour ago, Peyton had woken up alone. All three kids were at Haley and Nathan's house for the night, and when Peyton noticed that the sheets were cold on Lucas's side, she knew exactly where he was. After the wedding, they had spent the rest of the day without even a mention about Karen, or Dan, or any of the drama, but Peyton knew that couldn't last forever. So she had pulled on a pair of sleep shorts and one of Lucas's sweatshirt and shoved her feet into her slippers, grabbing her keys as she headed for the car.

He hadn't driven to the cemetary, and it really hadn't been his intention to go there when he had left the house an hour ago, but he had started walking, and that was where his feet had taken him. His eye retraced the name he had been staring at for over a half hour. Keith Allen Scott. His uncle, who had died while he was in high school. Keith had been more of a father to him than Dan, even though he lived with Dan. Keith had always been more understanding than Dan, and Lucas had been able to talk to Keith as a kid, about anything. Keith had told him everything he knew about his mother, because he certainly would never ask Dan.

Now Lucas wished that he had his uncle here to talk to, which is why he had settled for just talking at the grave, knowing that Keith could hear him, even if he couldn't reply, or answer him. Peyton knew that he would talk to her on his own time, but the silence was killing her, and she needed to break it to let him know that he could talk to her. "You know, if you don't want a marriage that ends in divorce, you shouldn't leave your new wife alone in the middle of the night," she said, attempting to be her normal sarcastic self, even if both of them could hear the struggle for her to keep her tone even.

Lucas finally looked over at Peyton, a guilty look on his face, which hadn't been her intention at all. She quickly opened her mouth to retract her statement, but he spoke first. "I'm sorry, Blondie. It's just, I honestly don't know what to do. I tried to put it aside, and focus on us, but it's so confusing. I don't know what to feel, or do right now. I wanted this day to be perfect for you, but all I've been thinking about is that I have a mother now, and I actually know who she is. I don't know whether to be mad at her, or hate her, or forgive her or what, though. I mean, she's been in our lives for months. Did she know I was her kid, or didn't she? I don't know which would be worse," he paused, and Peyton knew that all of his questions and comments were rhetorical. "I'm sorry I ruined our wedding day with my family drama," he finally added.

Peyton couldn't keep quiet after that. She sent him a stern look, and pointed her finger in his face to make sure she had his complete attention. "Now, you listen to me, Lucas Eugene Scott, you did not ruin our wedding day. You couldn't have ruined our wedding day, and you want to know why?" she didn't wait to hear an answer from him. "Our wedding day was perfect because it was OURS. You are stuck with me forever now, and that is what made this day perfect. Nothing could have changed that," she assured him.

Lucas ducked his head down, looking at their intertwined hands. She always knew exactly what to say. He looked back up at her, reaching up with his free hand to tuck a stray curl behind her ear. Her hair had begun getting wavy again not long after Chilarie was born, as the effects of the perm she had gotten had begun to fade. Now her curls were back to being wild and unruly, just the way he loved them. "There's no one I'd rather be stuck with, Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer Scott. We're True Love Always and I wouldn't have it any other way," he said, before planting a sweet kiss on her lips.

There was a small smile on Peyton's face as Lucas pulled away, and he noticed that her eyes were still closed from the kiss. He wanted to take her back to their house so they could go back to bed, but he still couldn't get over the fact that Karen was his mother. His mind was still racing, which was exactly what she saw when she opened her eyes and looked into his. She reached out with her free hand and caressed his cheek. "About Karen, I think you should talk to her, figure out her story on all this. You really can't trust Dan, not from what I've heard. Karen's really been here for me, and she's my business partner. Hear her out first before you decide what to do," she said.

There was a moment of silence, while Lucas broke Peyton's gaze and went back to staring at Keith's grave. Then, out of nowhere, he started chuckling, softly at first, then louder when he looked back at Peyton and noticed the look of utter confusion on her face. She honestly thought he was going crazy. When he stopped laughing he spoke before she could. "There really isn't anything funny. It's just, you never even met Keith, and you just told me the same exact thing that he would have told me if he were here. We really are meant to be," he said, partly amazed, and completely sure at the same time.

Peyton could have been offended by the slight surprise in her husband's voice, but she knew exactly how he felt. She was still surprised sometimes by the intensity of their love. She hadn't always believed in it, but she was beginning to realize the same thing, and he sometimes surprised her with everything he knew about her. He had proved again and again since they had moved back in together exactly how well he knew her. So she just smiled back at him. "You're so right. Now let's go home, Mr Scott. I'm not through with you yet," she said, a devilish glint in her eye as she stood up.

That idea definately appealed to Lucas. He jumped to his feet, noticing just what she was wearing, and then, since she was walking so slow, grabbed her up, running to the car with her thrown over his shoulder. "Lucas! Let me down! When I said let's go, I didn't mean carry me! Our bedroom isn't going anywhere! Lucas! Let me down," the laughter in her voice was ruining her attempt at a stern tone. She slapped his ass, just as he reached the car, and he finally set her back on her own feet. She huffed, pretending to be angry and pointed a finger in his face. "Don't ever do that again," she glared at him.

Their eyes met and he grabbed her finger, stepping closer as he held her gaze. She couldn't help it anymore. Under the intensity of his gaze, she burst into giggles, and he took that as his cue to swoop in, hungrily attacking her lips with his. A few minutes later, she broke away, gasping for breath as she rested her forehead against his. Lucas was breathless as well, but he just moved his lips down to her shoulder, hitting the spot that he had discovered one day when they had been making cookies. As Peyton errupted into giggles, they both thought of that day.

FLASHBACK

About six months after the twins were born, Peyton was finally allowing them to stay the night at someone else's house. It had taken a lot of convincing, and begging on both Lucas's and Haley's part, but Peyton had finally allowed herself to be separated from her babies for more than a few hours. Lucas was just getting home from dropping them off, and he followed his nose to the kitchen. He was surprised to see Peyton in the kitchen, mixing a big bowl of cookie dough. There was also a cookie sheet full of already cooked cookies resting on the stove. "What is this?" he asked, walking over to Peyton, reaching around her and grabbing one of the already made cookies.

As Lucas tossed it from hand to hand for a moment, trying to get it to cool down, Peyton set the mixing bowl down, turning around and looking up at Lucas, so she could gauge his reaction. "Well, I mean, this is our first night alone in six months. I thought I'd celebrate it by making your favorite food, which, I just so happen to know, is chocolate chip cookies," she explained. She felt bad for the hard time she had given him. She knew now that all he wanted was some alone time with her. She wanted it too, really. She was just being too much of an overprotective mother, and she had finally realized that. Now she wanted to make it up to him.

Lucas finally took a bite of the cookie, but immediately brought his free hand up to his mouth, holding it as he turned, running to the sink before dropping his hand and spitting out the cookie. He grabbed a napkin and wrapped the rest of the cookie in it as he turned back to Peyton. She had a horrified look on her face, but before she could ask what she did wrong, he had a question for her. "Peyton, how much salt did you put in these?" he asked, pointing to the wrapped cookie in his hand.

Peyton shrugged as he tossed the napkin to the counter. She looked at the recepie, confirming that she had read it right. "Just a dash, which is exactly what it says in the book," she said, pointing to the line in the cook book. He hesitantly asked her to show him how much as he held out his hand toward her. She eyed him warily before picking up the salt, taking his hand and pouring some salt on it. "About that much, you know, a dash," she repeated.

Lucas's eyes had widened as the pile of salt on his hand grew. When she finally stopped pouring, he used his free hand to pick up a pinch and throw it over his shoulder before throwing the rest in the sink as he mumbled incoherantly under his breath. He turned back to his girlfriend. "Peyton, honey, that wasn't a dash. That was a handful. No wonder the cookies are salty," he said, rolling his eyes.

Peyton gasped, pretending to be offended for a moment. Then she got a devilish look on her face as she got an idea. She picked up the bowl of cookie dough again, and picked some of it up in her fingers. "Well, I think you should try this batch. See what you think of it," she said, shoving at his mouth, getting some on his face as well, a grin now on her own face as she started laughing.

Lucas just stood there for a second, momentarily stunned. Then he got over the shock, and reached up to wipe the cookie dough from his mouth. "Nope, it's still salty," he said as he threw the cookie dough into the sink. He took the bowl from her arms, slyly picking up some cookie dough from the bowl. "I think I need a second opinion, though," he said, smearing it on her face, laughing just as she had been moments ago.

There was another moment of silence, filled only by Lucas's laughter. Peyton was frozen, the chunk of cookie dough half way in her mouth and halfway smeared onto her cheek. She didn't even bother to reach up and wipe it off. She grabbed the bowl out of his hands. "That is it, Lucas Scott, you are so gonna get it," she said, and that started a full on cookie dough war, which resulted in them being covered in cookie dough, as well at the kitchen and most of the living room. It was surprising at how much of a mess they ended up making with the amount of cookie dough they had.

When Lucas was out of cookie dough, he was just outside the entrance to the kitchen, just out of her line of sight. Peyton was standing behind the table, which she had tipped onto its side to use as a sheild. She had the bowl of cookie dough in her hand, though not much was left. She wanted to get him out of hiding, and she knew just how to do it. "Oh, I've got cookie dough all over. Oh, look, it's even in my bra. I guess I'll have to take it off to get all the cookie dough out," she said in a loud voice, while standing, ready to throw the cookie dough.

Lucas immediately entered the kitchen, and held up the lid he was using as a shield as cookie dough came flying at him. He held the sheild and his free hand up in surrender. "I give up, I give up," he said, waiting for her to put down the cookie dough as he crossed the kitchen toward her. He took the bowl from her and set both it and the lid on the counter, before facing Peyton again, helping her as she stepped over the table, so she was on the same side as him. "Now, if anyone is going to help you take your bra off, please, let it be me," he said as he took her in his arms, kissing her.

As they kissed, the sunk to the ground, leaning against the table for support as they made out. Peyton pointed to a spot on her shoulder, where there was a chuck of cookie dough, and told him that he'd missed a spot. Lucas attacked it with his lips, causing her to giggle. "You know, I take that back. This is the best cookie I've ever had," he said, before kissing her shoulder again, noticing that she jumped and giggled all the harder when he did.

END FLASHBACK

When Peyton caught her breath, pulled away, wanting to get into the car so they could get back to the house and finish what he'd started. "God, I thought I was never going to get all the cookie dough cleaned up. It was everywhere," she said, just to make conversation as they drove to the house. It had been a long night after that cookie dough fight, and then they had to get up in the morning to clean the apartment up before they went to pick up the boys. It had been a lot of scrubbing, because the cookie dough had dried over night.

Lucas remembered that day, too, but he was thinking of the night and cleaning the cookie dough off of themselves. Peyton could see the lust in his blue eyes and just smirked at him, glancing over at the speed limit sign they had just passed. She was teasing him by going the speed limit and they both knew it. He reached out and softly touched her bare thigh in retaliation. Then he reached up, and brushed her curls out of her face. "You know, you're beautiful, Peyton Scott, and I love you," he said.

Peyton looked over at him, a small smile on her face when he saw the adoration in his eyes. She loved the way he made her feel gorgeous, even when she knew she wasn't. She was wearing pajamas with no make-up on and she hadn't even brushed her hair. He was looking at her like she had just stepped out of a fashion magazine, though, and that made her step harder on the gas. Instead of responding to the compliment, though, she simply said, "I kind of like you," in a serious tone, as she tried to hide her smile.

Before Lucas could banter back, Peyton was pulling the car into the driveway to their house, and they both got out of the car, headed for the front door. Peyton was still turning the key in the lock when Lucas reached her, unable to stop himself any longer. Their lips crashed together and Peyton wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him lift her up so she could wrap her legs around her waist. Than they were just a tangled mass of limbs as they made their way through the house, shedding clothes as they headed toward their bedroom.

A few hours later, Lucas was the one that woke up to an empty bed. He reached out to touch the cold sheets, just as the door to their bedroom opened. The early morning sunlight was streaming through the window, and Peyton playfully climbed on top of him in bed, straddling his hips and leaning down to kiss him lightly, "I had been hoping you'd still be asleep. It would have been fun to wake you up," she said, trailing kisses along his jaw. "I made us breakfast, but you have to get out of bed to get it," she said seductively.

Before Lucas could do anything to stop it, Peyton was gone. He noticed that she was only wearing one of his tee-shirts and her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, but that was all he got a chance to see before she was out of the room. He desperately wanted to sleep some more, considering it was an ungodly hour, and she had kept him up most of last night, but he couldn't help but get up and follow his wife. Besides, the smells from the kitchen were making their way up to their bedroom, and Peyton's cooking skills had greatly improved since the cookie incident.

Peyton was setting one plate full of food onto the table when he entered the dining room. She sat a set of silverwere next to it, and was about to sit down, when Lucas wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "It smells delicious, Mrs Scott," he whispered into her ear, talking about the food, and also her, as he breathed in the scent of her strawberry shampoo. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, enjoying the feel of her in his arms.

A smile appeared on Peyton's face when he called her Mrs Scott. She would never tire of hearing that. She could hardly believe she was someone's wife now, but at the same time, she couldn't believe it had taken her so long to become Lucas's wife. In reality, she had been Mrs Scott for a lot longer than just a day. It had just taken them a while to get their act together and make it official. "That sounds perfect," she whispered back, referring to his words, more specifically, the last two. She placed her hands on top of where his were linked on her stomach, and just stood in his arms for a minute.

Then they broke apart, and sat down, sharing the same plate and the same silverware as they ate breakfast together in an empty house. When they were getting close to being finished with breakfast, Peyton noticed that Lucas was about to ask her something. She wasn't sure what it would be, but she waited for him to speak. "Are you okay with the fact that we didn't have a honeymoon?" he asked, probably for the twentieth time since they had made the decision. She wasn't sure where the question had come from this morning. She had thought they had already discussed this.

Peyton took the fork from Lucas's hand and sat it down on the plate, looking up and meeting his gaze as she scooted her chair closer to his, taking his hand at the same time. "Listen to me, I already told you. I am perfectly okay with the lack of honeymoon. We decided that we're just too busy to take any amount of time away from our lives. We have the kids, and work, and our family. Not to mention the whole mess of drama that sprung up yesterday. Last night was enough. We got to be alone, and when does that ever happen?" she paused, looking at him.

There was silence for a moment, and she could tell Lucas was still hesitant. "I know you've said that you want our lives to be perfect, but when are you going to get it through your head? As long as I have you, and our kids, then nothing else matters. We don't need to go away. In fact, all that will lead to is me missing my kids and my friends. I'm just glad I finally get to be your wife. I don't need to go to France or anywhere else to celebrate that. We can go visit other countries later, when our kids are grown, or we get tired of them, which ever happens first," she joked, letting him know that her words were true and then they went back to eating.

When they were finished, Peyton stood to take their plate to the sink. Lucas followed her into the kitchen, standing at the counter, as he watched her frame. He could easily take her back to bed right now, and spend the whole day there, but their was something he had to do first. "Well, my wife, I'm going to shower, and then head to the Cafe. Want to join me in the shower?" he asked, as she finished cleaning up. She glanced over her shoulder at him, and he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, trying to take away from the seriousness of what he was about to do.

Peyton knew exactly what he was doing, but she was glad that he was at least going to see Karen today. She'd allow him a little time to stall, besides, the sound of him calling her wife made her want him all the more. "Yeah, I need to shower before I pick up the kids anyway," she said, just as she finished loading the dishwasher. He turned to go upstairs and, with a mischevious grin, she ran and jumped on his back, making him piggy back her up to their room, as she laughed the whole way.

A/N: Okay, this chapter came out kind of easy, the only reason it wasn't up sooner was because I couldn't find the time to write it. My weekend was occupied with birthday stuff, and we have testing this week, which really sucks. Anyway, I am working on my OTH/Twilight crossover, and I should post a chapter of that before I get to another chapter of this, unless inspiration hits me for the next chapter like it did for this chapter, which is entirely possible, because I already know what's going to happen next chapter. So, I guess we'll just have to see what my muse wants me to write.

Also, on another note, I didn't get as many reviews as I expected for last chapter. Not that I really need the reviews, because I do enjoy writing the story with or without reviews. It's just, the reviews really do help me, and the lack of reviews make me wonder. Did y'all not like the last chapter? Are you losing interest in this fic? I did have some other possible storylines for this, but I won't write them if people don't want to read them. So, tell me what you think, please, and give your opinion on what you think should happen between Karen and Lucas, if you'd like. Thanks to those of you who do review, it means a lot.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill. I borrowed the cookie scene from the fourth season because it's one of my favorites, but it's not perfect, becuase I didn't feel like actually watching the episode to get it perfect. So, it came out of my memory, the best I remember it, with some minor alterations on my part, but the scene belongs to the show, not me. I take no credit for anything. 


	26. Chapter 26

Karen was at the Cafe, but it was currently empty, so she was sitting in the play room she had created for Peyton's twins, wondering what had happened yesterday. A lot of questions had popped into her mind as she had gotten closer to Lucas, but she wasn't sure, and she hadn't wanted to ruin the life that Peyton and Lucas were just getting back to. She knew that she didn't deserve to be involved in her sons life, so if there was a chance she could be in it without ruining anything.... It was selfish, she knew, but she couldn't help it.

As soon as she had seen Dan yesterday, though, she had known, without a doubt, that Lucas was her son. As she had watched Dan enter the church, she realized that she was sitting with her grandchildren, and she looked down at them with new appreciation. She had looked back up at Dan, then, and realized that he barely knew his own grandchildren. That made her wish she'd stayed, more than anything. Thinking of Dan made her remember the scene he had made at the wedding.

FLASHBACK

Sitting in the church as Dan approached her, she begged him with her eyes not to say anything. Of course, Dan had never been one for mercy. He stood in front of her, with his wife on his arm, in front of his grandchildren, and he loudly called to attention who she was. "Dan, please, he's your son. It's his wedding day, don't ruin it for him," she said, not for herself, but because Lucas honestly deserved a nice wedding day, and he didn't deserve to have it ruined by the mother who had abondoned him showing up.

It was too late, though. Lucas walked over, immediately assuming that his father was just causing trouble, because isn't he always? Dan looked over in amusement as his son demanded to know what he was doing. "Well, I'm just having some words with your mother, Son," he said, watching as Lucas's eyes landed on Deb in confusion before he shook his head. "No, I'm talking about your real mother," he corrected, pointing to Karen. Lucas's eyes landed on Karen, still confused for a moment, before understanding struck and he cursed loudly. He wanted to start yelling, but instead he sent Karen a look of utter disappointment and hurt before he left.

END FLASHBACK

Now she didn't know what to expect. She had gotten out of there, but she knew that he had returned, and the ceremony had happened. She didn't know if she would ever hear from them again, though, because she knew that Peyton would stay away if Lucas asked her to. That's what pained Karen the most. She had possibly lost not only a relationship with her son, but also a relationship with a person she considered to be a daughter.

The Cafe had been around since before Peyton was a teenager in high school, and it had been one of her favorite places to hang out. So, Karen had known Peyton for most of Peyton's life, but she had only recently begun to get close enough to her to really know her. Now she felt a motherly connection to the blonde, and she loved the kids too. She wasn't sure what was going to happen now, but she didn't want to lose her relationship with Peyton, or any of them, really.

When she heared the door to the Cafe open, she stood up, plastering a fake smile on her face as she headed toward the dining area of the Cafe. She froze in the doorway as she saw the blonde head of her son. Lucas looked around, and then noticed her coming from the back room. Instead of immediately saying anything, he just took a seat on a bar stool at the counter, and waited for her to come to him.

Karen walked around so she was on the other side of the counter, and stood in front of him, waiting for him to speak first. The ball was in his court. Lucas knew that as well, and blew out a sigh as he finally looked up at her. "Did you know?" he asked, and she didn't answer immediately. She wasn't quite sure what he was referring to. "Before the wedding, did you know?" he clarified.

There was a moment of silence as Karen decided what to say exactly. "Was I absolutely sure? No, I wasn't. Did I have my suspiscions? Yes, I did," she paused, and Lucas reached up to rub the back of his neck. "What was I supposed to say to you? 'Hey, I think you're the son I abondoned in high school?' That's not exactly an ice breaker," she shrugged, her voice full of defeat.

Lucas looked back up at her, eyes full of fury. This was not an easy conversation. "No, you're supposed to not abondon me in the first place. How can you have a kid, and not even care how he ended up? Did you even wonder what happened to me? I could have been dead by now, for all you knew. You left me with Dan, who, I have to say is not the best father. At least he was there for me, though. He didn't just give me up, or give up on me. Did you ever think about me, at least once, in the past twenty-six years?" the fire left his voice towards the end, and the last question was spoken barely above a whisper.

Karens eyes were instantly filled with compassion, and regret, and she wished she could walk around the counter and hug her son. She didn't know if that would help or hurt things at this point, though, so she stayed where she was. "Of course I did, Lucas. It's just, I was only a Freshman, and he was a Senior. I was stupid, and I thought he was in love with me. When I found out I was pregnant, he suggested abortion, to save his basketball career. I couldn't do that, though. I was going to give you up for adoption, but then I found out he got Deb pregnant as well, and my parents forced me to leave you with him," she paused, choking up now.

Lucas looked up at her, shocked that Dan had wanted to kill him. He knew his father was a jackass, but his whole life, the one thing he had been sure of was that his father wanted him, and his mother hadn't. Now that was changing. "They said he could take better care of you than I could. Damnit, I was just a kid myself, and I was scared. I admit it. The worst mistake I ever made was listening to my parents, and leaving you with Dan. I wish I could take it back but it happened, and I can't change it," she continued before he could say anything.

Lucas was still silent, so Karen decided it would be best to keep going, to say all she had to say before he regained control of his voice. "I'm here now, though, Lucas, and I'd really like to be in your life, and your childrens lives. I know I don't deserve a second chance, but please, I'd like to get a chance to be your mother, and to be a grandmother to your children," her voice was soft, and vulerable, and the ball was once again in his court. She'd said her piece. It was now his decision to make.

Lucas stayed silent for such a long time, Karen was going over all the bad things that could happen in her head, wondering which way it would go. She wasn't even considering that this would end well anymore. When he finally looked up, he nodded, and she could tell he wasn't going to yell anymore. "All right, you can have a second chance. The past is going to stay that way, and it's time to move forward," he said decisively, getting up and heading for the door. She managed to say thank you, loud enough for him to hear, and he turned back at the door. "I'm doing this for my kids. I don't want them to grow up without a grandmother," he said before leaving the Cafe.

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After Lucas went to the Cafe, Peyton walked down the street to Haley's house to pick up her kids. She wasn't surpirsed when she entered the living room and saw Brooke and Rachel sitting on the couch with Haley. "Where are my kids?" she asked, wanting to avoid any conversation for now. She hadn't wanted to pressure Lucas, so she still didn't know exactly what he was feeling towards Karen right now. She had some idea, because she did know him, but she also knew that he'd talk to her when he was ready.

Peyton wasn't that lucky. Brooke and Haley shared a look, and Haley turned to look at her best friend with a smile, shaking her head slightly. "Sorry, Peyt, but Nathan took the boys to the Rivercourt. They should be back soon enough, though. Take a seat, stay a while," she said, patting the spot between her and Brooke on the couch.

Reluctantly, Peyton did take a seat, though not on the couch. With the three other women, she didn't want to be squished, so she took a seat on the reclining chair, across from the couch. Both Haley and Brooke stared her down, knowing that she'd crack eventually, if they just stayed silent. "So, yeah, okay, it's true. Karen is his mom, and he's over there talking to her right now. I don't know what he's going to say, or anything. I just know that whatever happens now, he's not going to change his mind, after what he decides today," she finally said.

Haley just tilted her head to the side, eying her best friend, as if she had expected the outburst. Brooke seemed to have expected it to a degree, but she seemed slightly startled. Rachel seemed like she hadn't expected it at all. "Peyton likes to hold things in a bit too long. She's frustrated because Lucas won't talk to her, and she's taking that frustration out on us, a bit," Haley explained, as if Peyton wasn't in the room, though her eyes never left the blonde. "You're scared to lose Karen as a friend, aren't you?" she addressed Peyton this time.

Peyton blew out a sigh, shaking her head for a moment, trying to deny it. "No, of course I want what's best for him," she paused. "I just, she's been a really good friend to me. She's helped me out a lot, with my label, and we started Tric together. The boys love her. She's been my confidante when you two weren't always here, and it'll be weird to go around town and not be able to go to Karen's Cafe anymore," she said honestly, though she was quick to make herself clear. "If I have to do it, I will, though. If Lucas needs me to, I'll sell my half of Tric, or whatever, and keep away from her," she added.

Before anyone could say anything, Brooke's phone rang. She looked down at the display, smiling slightly when she saw the name. She held up a finger to her friends and stood up, flipping her phone open as she headed out of the room for some privacy. "Hey Chase," the three women heard her say just before she stepped out of earshot. Rachel looked down at her hands to hide the sadness that seemed to overwhelm her everytime she saw Brooke and Chase together, or heard any reference of him at all really.

This time it was Haley and Peyton who shared a look. No one could deny the love between Rachel and Brooke, except maybe Rachel and Brooke. Brooke still insisted that she was in love with Chase, and she couldn't be with Rachel again. Rachel still insisted that she was fine with being just friends with Brooke, even though everyone else could tell it was killing her that Brooke was with Chase. Haley and Peyton were currently trying to figure out a way to get the two stubborn women back together, but they had yet to come up with anything concrete.

When Brooke came back into the room, she grabbed her purse, walking over and sitting on the edge of Peyton's chair. "Are you sure you're going to be okay, P. Sawyer? Oops, I mean P. Scott," she corrected herself. Peyton nodded, and Brooke gave her a sideways hug. "Then I need to go, I'm supposed to meet Chase," she gave Peyton a friendly kiss on the temple and stood up, turning to Rachel. "You want a ride back to my place so you can pick up your car? You can help me pick out an outfit when we get there," she added the last sentence when Rachel began to shake her head, and added her puppy dog face to persuade the redhead.

Rachel couldn't say no to Brooke's puppy dog face. She'd never been able to, and she suspected she never would be able to. She stood, grabbing her purse as Brooke linked arms with her, already discussing which outfit she should put on. Rachel barely got a chance to wave goodbye to Peyton and Haley before hurricane Brooke had pulled her out of the room. Haley and Peyton watched in amusement. "I wish they'd stop being stupid and start being happy, together," Peyton mused, not noticing the look on Haley's face after she said that.

Haley just stared at her best friend, who was so oblivious sometimes. She kept staring, until Peyton noticed the look on her face, raising her hands halfway, a 'what?' expression on her face. "You have no room to talk. It took you forever to stop being so stupid and actually get back with your soul mate. At least Brooke is actually happy with someone else. You were just miserable, for months, before you would admit to yourself that you and Lucas were meant to be," she said, dodging the pillow that Peyton threw at her.

Peyton just stuck her tongue out at Haley, but before she could reply, the front door opened again. A few seconds later, a chocolate lab came bounding into the room. Peyton had allowed the boys to keep the dog, and Lucas had jokingly named it Rocket II, after the dog he had when he was a little kid. The boys had loved that even though it was a girl, and so the name had stuck, even though Peyton called the dog Maggie when the boys weren't around. Peyton had gotten quite fond of the dog, and so she started petting it as it climbed up on the chair with her. It was still small enough that it wasn't heavy.

The boys came into the living room next, followed by a sweaty Nathan, who walked over and pulled Haley to her feet, and then into his arms, getting his sweat all over her as he gave her a quick kiss. "Ew, thanks, babe," she said, and he grinned back at her, saying a quick greeting to Peyton before going upstairs to shower. "Don't look at me like that, Peyton Scott," she said, when she noticed the look Peyton was giving her. "Why is it so bad that I want to follow him up there? He's my husband for goodness sake," she added, before following him up the stairs.

Peyton rolled her eyes at her best friend's retreating back. Then she turned to her boys as she stood up, pushing the dog off of her, onto the floor. "Okay, guys, I'm going to go grab your sister from the nursery, you guys make sure you have your things because we're going to head home, okay?" she said, not waiting for a reply before she headed towards the nursery. Her daughter was laying in a playpen, next to James, and Peyton couldn't help but smile. They were definately two really cute babies. She gathered her daughter's diaper bag and then picked up Chilarie before leaving the room.

A few minutes later, Peyton spotted the SUV in the driveway, as they approached the house. When they entered, Peyton asked the boys to play in their rooms, which were now on the bottom floor, and then she headed up the stairs, looking for her husband. She dropped Chilarie off in her nursery, making sure the baby monitor was on, and then went to her bedroom, where she found Lucas, sitting on the bed, a box in his lap as he looked through the many things that he had kept from their past.

Peyton paused in the doorway, as she saw that box out again. She figured that now that they were back together, he wouldn't need to look in it anymore. They had the future together, they didn't need to be reminded of the past so much. "I thought that box would stay on the closet shelf, except for when things need to be added to it," she said, bringing his attention to her.

Startled, Lucas looked up to see his wife standing in the doorway. He hadn't heard her come in. A smile made it's way to his face when he saw her, though, the same smile that always appeared when he saw or thought of her. He moved the box to the side, and motioned for her to come closer. When she did, he pulled her onto his lapand buried his face in her hair. "I am so glad you're my wife, and the mother to our children," he mumbled into her hair.

Peyton pulled back, looking at his face. She was confused at where this was coming from. Then it hit her. She knew what was bothering him. She reached out and moved his chin so she was looking into his eyes. "I am never going to leave you, or our kids, Lucas Scott. Our kids are going to have so much love in their life as they grow up that they won't know what to do with it all. They have two parents who love them more than the world, and they have a whole mess of aunts and uncles who love them just as much, and I'm sure they'll get more cousins as well. So don't you ever worry about our kids not being loved enough," she informed him.

As usual, Peyton seemed to know exactly what was going on in his mind. He knew he had nothing to worry about, though. "I'm sorry, I was being stupid. I know you're not going anywhere. I just don't ever want my kids to feel like I did growing up, you know, wondering if I was a mistake, because neither of my parents seemed to want me, and I always want them to feel like they belong here, you know, like they can talk to us about anything," he broke her eye contact and lookeda at the ground.

The tears welled in Peyton's eyes as she began to realize how he had felt as a child. She also thought about how she had felt growing up, always missing her dad. It was hard growing up in a one parent family, and, to an extent, they had always felt that way. Sure, Deb had been nice to him, but he had always felt like he didn't really belong there, like he was more of an outsider than part of the family, even though he and Nathan had gotten along well. She pushed Lucas back onto the bed, ignoring the papers and other little things from the box, and laid down next to him.

For a while she just lay there, holding him, knowing that was what he needed. She needed it too, especially since she had started thinking about her father. When she was sure that her voice would be completely steady, she was ready to speak. "They know we love them, Luke. They know we'll always be there for them, and they'll never have to grow up with one parent, or no parents. I'm not going anywhere, and I will not allow you to leave me again," she joked, but when he tensed up, Peyton knew that she had hit closer to home than she realized.

Lucas didn't respond, and Peyton realized she had been wrong about the real reason behind his sadness. He wasn't worried about her leaving the kids. He was worried about himself leaving the kids. She looked up at him, so he would know she was being completely truthful when she said her next words. "Listen, Lucas, I've completely forgiven you for going on that book tour. It may of hurt at the time, but if you hadn't gone, we wouldn't know what it's like to live without each other, and it taught me that there is no way I can live without you anymore. You are my life now, and nothing's going to change that," she said.

Her words did make Lucas feel better, but he still wanted to just lay with her for a while, so that was what they did. They just laid there, and they actually managed to get a couple of hours alone, before they heard Chilarie through the baby monitor and they had to get back to real life. Lucas went downstairs to play with the boys, and Peyton went across the hall to the nursery, but they both felt better after their talk.

A/N: Okay, the ending was kinda lame, I know, but I kinda had some trouble ending this chapter. I can't believe I'm updating this fic again. I think this is the third time this week.I feel really bad for neglecting TLatL, but my muse wants me to work on this. This time I really mean that I am going to update my other fic first, before I come back to this. So, I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but it should be soon enough. Let me know what you think of this chapter, and thanks for the reviews on the last chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Tree Hill, and I make no claim to it at all. 


	27. Chapter 27

Karen looked up from the coffee machine when she heard the bell over the door ring. "We're not open yet," she started to say, but her voice trailed off when she saw Jason and Aiden running into the Cafe. They went right up to the counter, and each of them got up onto a bar stool. A few moments later, Peyton entered the Cafe, carrying Chilarie, with the diaper bag slung over her shoulder. "What did I tell you boys? You don't run off anywhere without my permission. I don't care where you're going, you hear me," she was too preoccupied with chastizing her children, that she didn't look over at Karen as she walked across the room.

When she reached the counter, she was still speaking to her children, and she barely noticed that Karen was there. "Can I get you guys something?" a voice came from behind the counter, causing Peyton to finally look. She shared a long look with the older brunette, but Karen couldn't read Peyton's look. She couldn't tell exactly what she was thinking, or why she was there, which was why Karen had approached professionally.

Peyton nodded. "Yeah, I was just wondering if you could watch them for a little bit. I have to go help with a recording session, and everyone else is busy. Besides, these guys have been bugging me to come here all week," she said ruffling the hair of her two boys and referring to the week that had passed since Lucas had come talk to Karen. Peyton hadn't really had the time to come to the Cafe. She had wanted to, though.

Karen didn't know what was happening between her and Peyton anymore. Did Peyton hate her because of what she had done to Lucas? Karen hadn't really considered that immediately following the wedding, but during the past week, when Lucas had given the okay, yet Peyton hadn't shown up, Karen had begun to wonder. She realized that there was a possibility that even if Lucas forgave her, it didn't mean that Peyton would. She nodded, keeping up the professional tone, the same way Peyton had.

Peyton thanked Karen, then said she had to get going and headed for the door. At the door, she realized the tone Karen had used. She turned back to Karen. "You know, what happens between you and Lucas, stays that way. I'm your friend, Karen, and I don't want your past with my husband to get in the way of that. I've been meaning to tell you that, but getting settled into married life was a bit more hectic than I thought it would," she said, a sly smile on her face as she thought of the past week. To be honest, every minute of her free time, she'd spent in bed with her husband, but she didn't need to tell Karen that.

That really made Karen feel a lot better. She sent the boys into their playroom as she walked across the Cafe, meeting Peyton near the door in a hug, being careful of Chilarie, of course. "I'm glad you said that, Peyton, because you really are the daughter I never had," she paused. "Well, I guess you are my daughter-in-law now, so we really are family," she paused again, and Peyton smiled. "Still, even before that, I saw you as a daughter, and I don't want to lose that," she said.

Peyton smiled, and nodded in agreement, then excused herself before the tears could come. She was glad she and Karen were able to get back to normal. She had meant what she had said. Now that Lucas said he was going to put their past behind them, Peyton was able to just be friends with Karen, like before. His drama didn't need to affect her friendship with Karen. She looked down at Chilarie, who had started to make cooing noises and kissed the top of her head, which was covered in blonde hair that was already curly.

Peyton replaced Chilarie in the car seat and climbed into the SUV, driving to the studio. She was working with one of her favorite artists today, and was glad to say that the album was coming out in a month. Today they were just working on getting the latest single recorded so they could release it to the radio stations. She unhooks Chilarie's car carrier from the base this time, and carries it into the studio, the diaper bag still slung over her shoulder, her purse with it. When she entered the studio she saw that the artist was already there.

As Peyton headed back to the recording booth, she sat her daughter's carrier down, unbuckling her and moving her to the playpen in the corner of the room, next to the baby that was already in there. She ruffled his tuff of blonde hair. "Good morning, little nephew of mine," she said, smiling as she was rewarded by him opening his eyes. They were already blue which, coupled with his blonde hair, made him look even more like Lucas. She left her diaper bag next to the blue one and then walked through one of the doorways to her office.

There she found Haley, sitting behind her desk, going through her papers. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're nosy?" Peyton asked sarcastically from the doorway, startling Haley, who hadn't noticed her arrival. The brunette just shrugged, though, looking not at all repentant as she set down the paper she had been looking at and stood, walking around the desk. Peyton just stared at her, an eyebrow raised.

With a smile, Haley hugged her blonde best friend, and responded to the look. "You don't have anything good to snoop though here anyway. Where are all the letters to your secret lover? You don't have any illegitemite kids. There's really not a lot going on in your life, P. Sawyer. When the hell did you get so boring?" she teased, gently nudging Peyton's shoulder. Peyton did not look amused. "Oh, I know, I guess it was when you got married. That does tend to happen sometime. I mean, when you get married, the drama goes away," she tapered off, sharing a look with Peyton.

At the same time they both burst out laughing. They both knew that life always has things to throw at them. They also knew that they had to take the bad to get to the good, though. "Yeah, right, I wish. The only thing I want is friends like you, and my husband and kids. That should be enough to get me through whatever drama life has yet to throw at me. Until then, lets go record your song, Haley James-Scott," she said, throwing an arm over her best friends shoulders and leading her out of the office and into the recording studio.

After several hours and a few breaks, they finally have a copy of the song recorded, ready to be released to the radio stations. "So Mrs Haley James-Scott, what do you think about the fact that you'll be able to hear yourself on the radio now? Also, who would you like to thank for getting you here?" Peyton asked as if she were a talk show host, as they both sat down in her office, holding their babies.

Haley shifted James in her arms, and thought pretended to think about the question, taking the pencil that Peyton was using as a microphone. "Well, of course, It'll be amazing to hear myself on the radio. I never expected my music would come this far. It's always been something I've hidden, like my own little thing. In high school, it was just something for me to use to get away from my school work, or my family. It wasn't until later, when my husband heard me play and told me to get my music out there, that I actually started playing for any crowds," she answered the first question and handed the pencil back to Peyton.

On the other side of the desk, Peyton nodded, momentarily distracted by her daughter, who was pulling on one of her curls. She had known that Haley had played in high school, but Haley didn't play for her that often, even though Peyton constantly told her she was great. She guessed that Haley had just needed that extra push, and Nathan had given it to her. "What about my second question? Who would you like to thank for getting you here today?" she added, handing the pencil back to Haley.

There was a moment of silence again, as Haley really contemplaed what to say. "Well, of course, I'd have to thank my husband, who really pushed me, and supported me throughout it all. My friend, Brooke, and my brother-in-law Lucas, who have also been really supportive. Of course, I can't forget my son, who has been my inspiration. James Lucas Scott is one of the best things that has ever happened to me," she said, leaning down to place a kiss on his blonde locks. Peyton looked at Haley expectantly. "I really think that's it," she said, managing to keep a straight face.

Peyton pretended to be offended, faking a gasp, which turned quickly into a gasp of pain as Chilarie pulled on her hair again. She couldn't wait until that phase was over. She looked back across the desk. "No thank you for your best friend, whom you've happened to know a lot longer than your husband, or any of those people? What about the person who helped you create this record and release your single? You have no gratitude whatsoever for the label owner who took you under her wing?" she asked.

Before Haley could answer, there was a voice from the doorway. A voice she had never wanted to hear again. "That's all good and well, but what about the person who discovered her in the first place, and helped create all the talent you hear today?" Both Peyton's and Haley's gaze darts to the door as soon as they hear the voice. Haley recognized it immediately, but she needed to see it to believe it, because she didn't want it to be true.

Unfortunately, that voice was just too recognizable for her to be wrong. His tall lean frame was leaning against the door jamb, and he pushed himself off when they saw him. He stepped into the room, a cocky smirk on his face. "Come on, Hales, the Keller deserves at least a little credit for getting you where you are today. Don't you think so, Goldielocks?" Chris looked from Haley to Peyton, ignoring the annoyed look on Peyton's face that came from him calling her Goldielocks.

Haley looked towards Peyton, and they shared a look before she looked back at Chris. She disregarded his statement completely, asking instead why he was there. He didn't answer immediately, but they both just glared at him, waiting for an answer. "Alright, fine, I'll tell you why I'm here," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. "Chris Keller has a bit of a proposition for you," he added, the cocky smirk that Peyton wished she could slap off, back on his face.

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When Peyton got home that day, she saw an unrecognizible car parked in front of her house. She pulled into the driveway, and got the kids out of the car, knowing that her husband was home as well. The boys ran immediately to their room, and Peyton had Chilarie in her arms when she found Lucas in the living room, Maggie at his feet. "Did you feed Mags, yet?" she asked, noticing that the dog perked up even more than usual at her presence, which probably meant that she was hungry. "Oh, and do you know why there's a strange car parked in front of our house.

The boys came back into the room, correcting her as they did. "It's Rocket II, Momma, not Mags," they said as they started playing with the dogs. She sent Lucas a look, because he had started laughing, but before he could answer her, there was a sound of a toilet flushing, and Keirah came out of the downstairs bathroom. When she saw Peyton, she crossed the room, pulling her immediately into a hug.

Peyton was so surprised, that she actually hugged back. When Keirah pulled away, she took a seat in the reclining chair across from the couch. Peyton's gaze darted between her husband and his editor. "Why are you here?" she asked, but her voice trailed off as she put two and two together. "Does this mean you have the second book written?" she asked, remembering that he had been doing a lot of writing in the past few months. In fact, writing was all he had been doing in his free time since they had gotten back together.

Modest, as always, Lucas just shrugged and nodded. Peyton grinned, sitting on the couch next to him and giving him a kiss. She was glad that he was doing what he loved. She congratulated him, just before Keirah spoke up. "Well, that's why I'm here, see. We have to work out the details. So, I need to talk to him, but there's someone waiting in your office to talk to you," she said, pointing to Lucas and then Peyton respectively.

Peyton shared a glance with Lucas, but his gaze revealed nothing. She stood, and headed for her office, wondering who could be in there. The door was closed when she approached and she pushed it open, surprised to see Jake sitting at her desk, feet up on it, waiting for her. This was the first time she'd seen him since he proposed over five years ago, and part of her wanted to turn and run from the room. She didn't, though. She walked into the room, noticing that he was watching her as she crossed it, taking her place behind her desk.

After a moment of silence, while Peyton tries to figure out what to say, she figures being blunt can't really make the situation any more awkward. "Why are you here, Jake?" she asked. She watched Jake shift in his seat nervously and rolls her eyes. "I mean, we haven't seen each other in over five years, and you're back now? Why now? What do you want from me?" she trails off and stares at Jake, waiting for an answer.

Jake takes a deep breath, trying to find the right answer. "Listen, I want to record an album, and I'd like you to sign me to your label," he said, not giving her a chance to list all the reasons it would be a bad idea before he continues. "Listen, I know you could give me about a million ideas why this wouldn't work, Peyton, but I know you, and I know how good you are with this stuff. You also know me, and you know that I haven't always been committed to things, but the one thing I've always wanted to do is be the best father I can be, when that time comes," he paused.

Peyton nodded slowly, not sure what him being a father had to do with anything, but if she knew anything, it was that Jake was going to be a good father. "Well, Keirah's pregnant, and I don't even have a steady job. Music is something I've always had the ability to pursue, but I was never sure I wanted to do it. Well, now I'm sure, and I could really use your help, Peyton. You're good at what you do, and you could help me, please," he asked, staring at her shocked face as she put the pieces together.

There was a moment of silence as Peyton contemplated. "You never wanted to do something with your music because you didn't want to become a sellout. You hated the idea of becoming just another one hit wonder, or something, and you detested the idea of one day resenting the music," she paused, and it all clicked in her mind. "You're putting Keirah and the baby before your own feelings, because you want to be able to support them, and this is the only sure thing you can think of right now," she said, meeting his eyes for confirmation even though she knew she was right.

She thought about this for a moment, running a hand through her curls and biting on her lip. He just waited for her answer, because she hadn't really given him one yet. "Jake, I don't want to help you do something you've never wanted to do. I mean, we haven't talked in years, but you were my first love, and I do care about you. I don't know if I can help you do this though. If you don't like what you do with your life you could wake up one day and find that you've lost yourself, you always told me that," she paused, still looking into his eyes. He was silently pleading with her. "I don't think I can do this," she finished.

Jake's demeanor fell immediately, but he could tell she her mind was made up when she said that. He'd always known that Peyton doesn't change her mind when she makes it up, even though he had to learn that the hard way. He nodded resolutely and stood to leave. He looked so defeated, though. Peyton had never seen him look like that. Whenever one of his little commitments fell through, or his plans failed, he'd always move on to the next one. She realized then that it wasn't about what he wanted anymore. He was already thinking like a parent. "All right, fine, I'll sign you to my label," she had her eyes closed as she spoke, and she hoped that she wouldn't come to regret those words.

Hand on the doorknob to her office, Jake paused at her words. He turned, to make sure she was serious, and when he could tell she was, a smile spread onto his face, and he took the seat across from her again. "Don't make me regret this," she said, but even as the words left her mouth, she could tell from the look on his face that she wouldn't. So they got to work setting up a contract.

Meanwhile, back in the living room, Keirah waited for the door to the office to close before looking at Lucas again. "So, the company is definately publishing and as soon as we finish editing it we can start working on the book tour. The thing is, we have a bit of a time crunch on the editing process, unless you'd like to get another editor when I have to take a break for maternity leave," she casually threw out her news, knowing that it would be easier that way than to actually say the words.

After a moment, Keirah can't stand the silence anymore. She looks up from her fingers to check Lucas's expression. He looks shocked, but happy for her nonetheless. "Wow, congratulations, Keirah. That is so great. I'm glad you're happy. So, are you going to have the wedding before or after the baby comes?" he asked, standing to give her a hug.

After using a hair tie to pull up her straight black hair, Keirah can't hide her grin as she looks at Lucas, resting her hands on her still flat stomach. "Well, we have about eight months before this little bug is due, so I think that for now you and I will focus on editing this book, then while I'm on maternity leave, I'll focus on planning the wedding, and probably have it a few months after. We'll probably have the tour sometime in between the birth and the wedding,"she said, the happy smile on her face turning into a devilish grin. "You know Lucas, I'm warning you now. You remember all the late nights and stupid arguements over the last book?" she asked and he nodded hesitantly. "Well, they're going to get so much worse this time around," she added with a laugh, rubbing her stomach.

Lucas groans and Keirah throws a pillow at him. Of course he catchs it, and they both start laughing. "Oh, and I forgot to tell you the best news," she sits up straighter, like she just remembered something. Lucas raises an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. "Well, Jake and I are moving to Tree Hill. We're going house hunting tomorrow," she claps her hands together excitedely at her news.

A/N: Here's another chapter. The next will pick up right after this leaves off. So, what do you think, a return of Chris, Keirah and Jake. Don't worry, they won't cause any drama... or not that much anyway. Most of the remaining drama will happen in the Brooke/Chase/Rachel love triangle. There will probably end up being somewhere between 30 and 35 chapters of this fic, so it's winding down. I have other ideas and stuff that I'm just itching to write, though, so don't worry. I might even do a companion piece to this, about the kids when they get to high school, something like that. Oh, this will probably be the last update, because this coming week is my Spring Break, and I'll be gone all week. Review, please and thanks to everyone who has reviewed.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything involving One Tree Hill or the CW. I take no credit whatsoever, so please don't sue me. 


	28. Chapter 28

Peyton realized she still had some time, and hopefully Haley and Chris would be out of her studio by now. "All right, Jake, before we sign this, I'd like to get you in the studio, hear something from you, make sure this is a good idea. Let me tell Lucas and we can each drive there. You don't have a car here, do you?" she asked, noticing the look on his face and hiding her disappointment when he shook his head. "Okay, well, then I'll give you a ride there, and I'll bring you back when we're done. It shouldn't take too long, I suppose," she said, standing, picking up the paperwork and heading out of the office.

She walked into the living room to see Keirah and Lucas sitting on the couch, working on editing the first chapter. "Hey, babe, I'm going to head to the studio so Jake can record something for me. Is is okay if I take Chilarie and leave the boys with you?" she asked, standing behind the couch, and wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning down to give him a kiss.

Keirah stood up and walked over to Jake, so each of the couples could have some privacy. "Yeah, that's fine, Blondie," Lucas answered her question, when they broke apart. "So, you're really going to sign him to your label? That means you'll be working with him, right?" he asked, and Peyton laughed, because she could hear just the slightest hint of jealousy in his voice. Once upon a time she might have gotten upset because of that, but now she just laughed about it. She trusted him, and loved him and she knew he loved and trusted her.

Still chuckling, Peyton kissed her husband again, walking around to the other side of the couch as he stood up, and they deepened the kiss. When they broke apart, she leaned her forehead against his, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck. "I love you Lucas Scott, and you have nothing to worry about, because I don't love Jake in that way anymore, at all. Are you sure I have nothing to worry about?" she teased, but she kissed him again, not even letting him answer. "I'll be back in later with dinner. I'll see you later, husband," she said, pulling away from him and heading upstairs to get Chilarie.

By the time she made it back downstairs, Lucas and Keirah were back on the couch, and Jake was standing by the door waiting for her. Keirah got up at the sight of the baby carrier, cooing over Chilarie before Peyton and Jake managed to get outside. Jake was already in the passenger seat when Peyton was climbing in behind the wheel, after buckling in Chilarie's car seat. "Your daughter really is beautiful, Peyton, and I am glad you're happy," Jake said, somewhat surprising Peyton due to the sincerity of his voice.

There was silence as Peyton pretended to focus on driving the car. She honestly didn't know how she was supposed to respond to that. When she stopped at a red light, she couldn't stall any longer, and glanced over at Jake. "Thanks, Jake, that really means a lot. For what it's worth, I'm sorry about what happened between us, and I'm glad you found Keirah. She really is a great person, and so are you," she replied. Luckily she didn't have to keep up the eye contact for long, because the light changed and she could focus on the road again.

Jake didn't say anything back, but the air between them was awkward now that they'd started to get deep. She didn't want that for them, especially not if they were going to be working together. When she parked the car, she asked Jake to wait a minute. "Listen, what's past is past, and I really don't want to involve that in the present. So, the only relationship we have is professional, all right? We might end up being friends later, I don't know, because we never started as friends, but right now, all we are is co-workers," she said in her buisness-like voice.

There was only a slight hesitation before Jake nodded. Peyton was sure that she only noticed it because she knew him so well. She decided to pretend she hadn't noticed it as they both got out of the car and headed into the studio. He started recording and Peyton liked what she heard. She decided then that she was definately glad that she was signing him to her label.

A little while later, Peyton was still listening to Jake record when the door to the office slammed open. Peyton was holding Chilarie and Jake was still in the recording booth, so he didn't hear, but Peyton did. She turned to look in the direction of the door just as Haley came into the room, a distraught look on her face.

There was barely time for Peyton to stand up before Haley was in front of her, slapping her across the face. Jake was so into recording, that he didn't notice any of this. "This is your fault Peyton. Why did you do it? Why did you call Chris?" Haley was yelling at Peyton.

One hand on her reddening cheek, Peyton cradled Chilarie to her chest with2 0the other arm, her eyes pleading with her best friend for a chance to explain. "Let me set Chilarie down and get him out of here, then we can talk, okay. Just calm down, please, and le t me explain," she said imploringly.

Haley took a deep breath and nodded, leaving the recording area and heading for the office. Peyton removed her hand from her cheek and pressed the button that would allow Jake to hear what she was saying. "Hey, just keep practicing, or whatever. I'm going to have a quick conversation with Haley and we're pretty much done here," she said, remembering that she was his ride home.

Jake nodded, realizing he had missed something when he saw the red mark on her cheek. Peyton walked out of the recording area, placing Chilarie in the play pen and taking a deep breath, bracing herself as she entered her office. She sat down behind her desk, wondering where to start. "I admit it, it was my idea to bring Chris here," she said simply.

Haley's eyes widened. She hadn't expected Peyton to be so calm about this. She was expecting Peyton to deny it, or apologize at least. "What the hell, Peyton, you're supposed to be my best friend. This guy nearly wrecked my marriage, and you want me to work with him. You made Nathan turn this into some kind of test for me. Well, I won't play your game," she said angrily.

There was a beat of silence as Peyton waited; making sure Haley had said what she wanted to say. "I want you to know; I'm saying this as your co-worker, not your best friend. Your new music sucks," she said bluntly.

Haley's jaw dropped and her anger flared up again, but Peyton continued before Haley could yell again. "It's true. Your first album rocked, and everyone's going to love it, but all your new stuff isn't any good at all. I just think you could use a little bit of help from an artist who's helped you before," she finished calmly.

Silence filled the room as Haley thought this over. Peyton could tell that her best friend was still angry, but she wasn't going to apologize for calling Chris. She knew Chris could help Haley, if the stubborn brunette would allow him. "I asked Nathan if he was okay with it first, but I don't know what you meant when you said he made this into some kind of test for you," Peyton added when Haley didn't speak.

Unfortunately, this just made Haley angrier. She stood up quickly, the chair behind her falling to the ground, not that either of them noticed. "You went and asked Nathan what he thought, but you didn't ask me? What the hell, Peyton. I thought you said we were going to work together, not you me and Chris," she began to head for the door.

At the door she turned back towards Peyton, a disappointed look in her eyes. "You undermined my relationship as your friend and as your artist, and you put strain on the marriage I'm working to fix. You know what, forget this, I don't think I want to work on your label. I don't even know if I want to be your friend," she stormed out of the office without another word.

Five minutes after Haley left Peyton was still sitting in shock, images of the look on Haley's face flashing in her mind as her harsh words stung her ears. She didn't even hear when her daughter started crying. She just couldn't believe that Haley had called off their friendship. They had been friends for far too long for it to be over like that, and over something so stupid.

Jake cleared his throat nervously from the doorway, but Peyton didn't notice that either. "Hey, Peyton, are you okay?" he asked, knowing she wasn't, but given what she said before they got out of her car, he wasn't sure what the protocol was for this. He could go over and comfort her, but that would enter the realms of friendship, and it wouldn't be strictly professional.

Peyton was still thinking about how to fix this. She didn't think she'd done anything w rong, but if she had to, she's go to Haley's house and beg for forgiveness. She didn't want to lose her best friend, not after they'd been through so many things, together. She stood up and, without a word, brushed past Jake, making sure all the lights were off and grabbing her daughter, not even checking to make sure Jake was behind her as she left.

Ignoring all of Jake's questions, Peyton was working on a plan in her mind. She stopped by a pizza place on the way, because she had told Lucas she would bring dinner home. When she got to the house she dropped off Jake, Chilarie and the pizza, barely hearing Lucas's protests as she left again.

Without even getting back in her car, Peyton started running to her best friend's house, knocking loudly when she reached the front door. She shuffled her feet nervously as she waited for the door to open, planning in her head what she was going to say. The door opened and she saw a very upset looking Nathan.

She didn't even need to ask if Haley was there when she saw his face. Her own hope fell as well, because if Haley wasn't even staying with Nathan, she was definitely not going to talk to her, but Peyton couldn't believe that. She had to try. "We screwed up, Nathan, I'm not even sure how we screwed up, but we did. Did she tell you where she was going?" she asked.

Nathan nodded and informed her that Haley was at Brooke's, though it m ight be best to give her some time to cool down. Peyton barely listened to him before she had turned around, running back the way she came. She ran past her house and around the corner, to Brooke's.

While Peyton waited for someone to open the door, she began wringing her hands. She still didn't really understand why Haley was so mad. She still had hope that she could get Haley to forgive her, though. She had to have hope. Peyton was startled when the door opened.

It wasn't the fact that the door opened so quickly. She was startled by the sight of her best friend, and the glare that Haley was giving her. She was completely surprised by the look on Haley's face. It wasn't even angry. Haley looked completely disinterested, like she could care less. Peyton had never seen her so apathetic.

Haley leaned against the doorframe, waiting for Peyton to say whatever she needed to say so she could go back inside. "Haley, I'm sorry I called him, okay, and I'm sorry I asked Nathan, but that doesn't mean that you have to end our friendship, please. We've been through too much for this," she said, tears filling her eyes as Haley's expression didn't change.

When Haley realized that Peyton wasn't going to say anything else, she pushed off of the doorframe and turned her back on her ex-best friend. Before Haley could get the door shut, Peyton put her shoe in the way. "Come on, Hales, talk to me, pl ease. You don't have to work with Chris, just come back to the label, and be my friend, please," she was begging and crying now, but she couldn't help it.

There was a moment of silence, and Peyton didn't add anything more. "I can't do that, Peyton. It's not that you screwed up; it's that you honestly thought you were doing the right thing. If you thought I would agree to this, then you honestly don't know me anymore, and I just don't think I can be your friend," she said indifferently, the apathetic look still on her face. "Could you please move your foot? I don't think there's anything left to be said," she added.

Peyton was so shocked, that Haley was able to move her foot out of the way, and shut the door in her face. Peyton had to control her tears as she walked home, desolately. She couldn't believe that it was really over, but, according to Haley it really was. She wasn't running on the way home as she had been on the way there, because there was no hope left. Haley really meant their friendship was over.

When Peyton got home, she looked in on each of the kids, who were already asleep. She ignored the plate of pizza that Lucas had left on the kitchen counter for her. She waited quietly until she heard the shower running, and then she went upstairs to her room. As soon as she got into bed, she started crying, and she had cried herself to sleep by the time Lucas got out of the shower.

A/N: I'm back. I was surprised that I was actually able to find time to write over Spring Break, but I did manage to get this and most of the next chapter done. I wasn't able to post it from where I was though. I know, Haley kind of overreacted, but that bit of drama just wrote itself, honestly, I didn't plan it at all. Let me know what you think, and I'll try to get the next chapter up in the next couple of days.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I just don't own anything to do with One Tree Hill, or the CW.


	29. Chapter 29

Lucas was downstairs, holding Chilarie while he tried to get breakfast on the table for the boys. He moved away to get a bottle for his daughter, and by the time he turned back to the stove, the smoke detector was going off. He managed to stop himself from cursing, but he moved quickly, setting Chilarie in her high chair, even though she was still fussy, and putting out the fire.

With a sigh, Lucas grabbed the phone, dialing the first number he could think of. After a brief conversation, he hung up the phone, and walked over to his daughter, picking her up and finally giving her the bottle he had made.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door, but Lucas didn't go answer it. He knew who it was. Sure enough, just moments after the knock, the door opened and Karen came into the kitchen. "I come with breakfast," she said, holding out her to-go bag towards him. She could tell by the look on his face that things still weren't going well.

After calling the boys down and setting them up at the table in the dining room, Karen returned to the kitchen and sat down next to Lucas at the counter. Lucas was still feeding Chilarie. "Is Peyton still in bed?" she asked, though she already knew the answer. Peyton had barely left her bedroom since Lucas had gotten out of the shower that night to find her already asleep.

They were both surprised when they heard Peyton's voice, greeting her sons. They shared a look of shock, just as Peyton entered the kitchen. Lucas hadn't even heard the shower running, but his wife was showered and dressed and she looked like she had a week ago. "Oh, hey, Karen, what are you doing here?" Peyton asked her mother-in-law, as if surprised that Karen would be there.

Lucas and Karen shared another look, but Peyton didn't notice as she took Chilarie from Lucas's arms. "Come here, my pretty girl, Mommy feels like she hasn't seen you in forever," she said, twirling a little as she held her daughter in her arms. As she took a deep breath, she noticed the lingering smell of burnt food. "Who burnt something in here?" she asked, looking between her husband and Karen.

There was a moment of silence, and Karen decided to just pretend like the past week hadn't happened, like Peyton seemed to be doing. "Well, Lucas was trying to cook breakfast and take ca re of Chilarie at the same time, and he burnt the food. So he called me, and I brought over some breakfast from the Café. I should really be getting back now, though," she said, standing.

After hugging Lucas, and kissing each of her grandchildren on the forehead, she left the house, leaving Peyton, who happened to still be holding Chilarie, and Lucas alone in the kitchen. "Peyton, are you okay?" Lucas asked his wife, still unsure of what had happened in the first place.

Peyton quirked an eyebrow at his tone of voice. "Yeah, of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, stepping forward and giving him a kiss. "I'm going to head to the studio. I want to start working with Jake on his album, and get that contract signed. I love you," she said, heading upstairs to get Chilarie's things.

Lucas watched his wife walk away, but he stayed silent, because he didn't want to start a fight with her. He waited until Peyton had left the house before he picked up his phone, dialing a now-familiar number. "Hey, little brother," he said when Nathan picked up his phone. "Is there something going on between my wife and yours?" he hadn't called anyone to ask yet, because he had assumed Peyton would talk to him, but he needed to know what was going on.

He listened to Nathan talk and then it all clicked. Why Peyton had been staying in bed all week. Why she was acting like nothing had happened now. It all made sense. She had been in bed mourning the loss of her friendship, and now she was in denial, acting like everything was okay.

After he hung up the phone, he headed to the Café taking the boys with him. He wanted to talk to Karen about what he should do. The boys immediately went back into the playroom after greeting their grandmother, and Lucas took a seat at the counter. "What's up, my boy?" she asked, pouting him a cup of coffee.

With a sigh, Lucas began to explain. "Well, it seems that Haley called off her friendship with Peyton, which is why she's been so upset. Nathan said that Peyton called Chris to work with Haley, without talking to Haley first, which seemed to really upset Haley. So, Peyton's been moping all week. Now it appears she's in denial," he said, taking a sip of the coffee before putting his head in his hands.

Karen didn't hesitate before walking around to Lucas's side of the counter and wrapping him in a hug. Things had come a long way in a week, especially since Peyton had been so out of it. Lucas needed someone to talk to, and Karen had been that person. It was actually kind of nice to have a mom in his life now and despite the drama it had caused, he was glad to know Karen was his mother.

Lucas stayed at the Cafe for a while, talking to Karen and letting the boys play in the play room. After he dropped them off at school, he headed back to the house to get some more editing done on his book with Keirah. She was waiting for him on the porch when he pulled into the driveway. She was leaning against the post with her arms folded, just above her stomach. "Well, it took you long enough. You got a pregnant woman standing out here waiting for you," she said sternly.

As he walked up to the house, she smiled at him. She knew that Peyton wasn't home, which meant that she had gotten out of bed, which was a good thing. She could see the look on his face, though, and her smile slipped away. She could tell something was wrong, and she asked him what it was as they walked into the house. Even though they bicker when they edit together, they were still really good friends, and she knew him well. "Peyton's not here," she stated, and they both knew she was looking for an explanation.

They sat together on the couch in silence, and he decided it couldn't hurt to have her opinion on the matter as well. He sighed, running a hand through his hair before putting his head in his hands. When he finally looked up at her, before speaking, she definately noticed the pain in his blue eyes. "Peyton and Haley got into some kind of fight. Peyton called Chris Keller to work with Haley and Haley got upset and called off their friendship," he started with explaining what had been wrong with Peyton.

As Keirah considered the pain in his eyes, she suddenly realized what he was hurting for. He was hurting for his wife, who might have lost her best friend. That, more than anything else, more than even editing his books, made her realize how deep his love for Peyton ran. She hadn't been around to witness the actual events, so it still amazed her sometimes how much he loved her. She reached out, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder as she waited in silence for him to continue.

Running his fingers through his hair again, he was glad he had Keirah to talk to. She wasn't close enough to their group of friends to be biased about anything. It was almost like an outsiders opinion, except she knew all the history, because she had edited the book. She was also a good listener, and not as judgemental as some people could be. "Peyton got up this morning, acting like nothing was wrong, like the past week hadn't happened. I'm worried about her, is all. I'm afraid she's not going to deal with this," he said.

Undersandingly, Keirah nodded. She knew exactly what he meant, but she knew it would do him no good to keep worrying about it now. "Well, then you have to talk to her about it. Later. Right now, we're going to edit your second book about her, because we have a limited time in which to work," she paused. "It's a good thing you talked to me about this before we started, because once we start, you're not going to like me as much as you like my right now," she mused, grabbing her copy of the manuscript and her laptop.

Hours later, the front door opened and Peyton came into the living room, with all three kids. Peyton was carrying Chilarie on one hip, and a bag of groceries with the other arm. She also had the diaper bag slung over the shoulder with the grocery bag in it. She smiled as she saw Lucas, her green eyes lighting up. She hadn't had that great of a day, but seeing her husband made it all better. Lucas stepped forward and took the groceries, placing a kiss on Peyton's cheek, as Keirah stepped forward and took Chilarie, who yawned as she woke up.

The raven-haired woman gently rocked the baby in her arms, surprised by how light the five-month-old was. If she didn't know how old the baby in her arms was, she would have sworn that it couldn't be more than two months due to her size. "Your daughter really is gorgeous, and so are your sons," she complimented, keeping her eyes on the baby girl in her arms, who had her eyes open and was looking right back. Peyton just smiled, because she agreed, while Lucas was in the kitchen, putting away the groceries.

Then Peyton got an idea. "Why don't you stay for dinner," she suggested, and was surprised to find that she meant it. She wasn't just doing it to be polite. She actually wanted her to stay. "You can call Jake, and we can all have dinner together. Come on, it'll be fun," she added when she sensed Keirah's hesitation. She knew her kids really liked Keirah, so she figured it was time to get to know her better. Maybe they could even be friends.

Keirah finally nodded and handed Chilarie to Lucas, who had just re-entered the living room, and heading outside to call Jake. Maggie came running into the living room then, which meant the boys had let her in from the back yard. Peyton bent down, petting the dog. "Luke, did you feed Ma- Rocket II yet?" she asked, correcting herself as the boys bounded into the room.

Lucas couldn't stop the amused smirk on his face at the name. He had honestly just been joking when he had suggested that name. They had been debating names on the dog for a long time though, and they just couldn't decided. So, he had jokingly suggested it to her, not even remotely serious. The boys had heard the name, though, and they insisted that it was perfect. He shook his head in answer to Peyton's question. "Well, why don't you go feed her while I cook dinner," she said, heading into the kitchen.

Dinner ended up being really fun. Peyton and Keirah talked a lot, catching up on things that had happened since Peyton was in high school. Of course, Peyton and Jake's relationship was left taboo. Even so, conversation flowed the whole time. After dinner, the guys went outside to play some basketball with the twins, and the women sat on Peyton's couch, continuing their girl bonding. Keirah and Jake didn't leave until Peyton and Lucas had to put the twins to bed.

As they were walking out of Jason's room, after having said goodnight to both boys, Peyton grabbed Lucas's hand, pulling him close and kissing him passionately. "I'm going to go check on our daughter, and then we're going to finish that in the bedroom," she murmured into his lips, untabgling her arms from around his neck and giving him one last, quick kiss before heading up the stairs, leaving him standing there, breathless, his heart pounding. As his eyes trailed her up the stairs, he seriously considered forgetting the fact that he had to talk to her about Haley, but he knew that she had to.

So he sat up in bed, waiting for her, but not for the reasons she was thinking. When Peyton entered the room, she closed the door behind her, and pulled her shirt over her head, slipping out of her jeans and jumping into bed with him. Before he could say anything, she was straddling his hips, kissing him fiercely. It took him a few minutes, but he managed to separate their lips. She just moved her lips to the hinge of his jaw, then down to his neck, reaching down to pull his shirt off, oblivious to the fact that he was trying to talk, or maybe ignoring it.

Lucas's eyes slipped closed as she hit the spot on his neck that always made him moan in pleasure. He once again wanted to just let Peyton continue to pretend nothing was wrong, at least until the morning. He couldn't do that though. She needed to talk, and he wouldn't let her stay in denial. "Peyton, Peyton, come on Blondie, wait," he managed to push her away, onto her side of the bed, because he'd never be able to say what he needed to say with her on his lap.

She looked at him with lust-filled eyes and ignored his attempts to stop, moving closer again, once again hitting that spot. He moaned, knowing that this woman would be the death of him. He once again tried to push her away. "Come on, Luke, it's been a week. I want to make love to my husband. You're not really turning me down, are you?" she asked playfully, her lips still on his neck. Her voice was seductive and husky and Lucas forced himself to think of the week she'd been in bed.

He desperately ran a hand through his hair, and somehow managed to put a firm hand on her shoulder, pushing her back to her side of the bed. "Peyton, I love you, and you are incredibly sexy, and I'm obviously an idiot, but we need to talk," he said making sure she was going to stay before removing his hand. "You need to talk about what happened with Haley. You can't just pretend it never happened," he said, and just like that, her whole mood was ruined, and she immediately turned on the defensive.

Standing, Peyton grabbed her pillow, not wanting an arguement, she decided to just go sleep on the couch. Lucas knew what she was doing and he jumped out of the bed as well, moving to stand in front of the door. "First off, you might want to put on some pajamas before you leave this bedroom," he said, looking at her attire, which was only a bra and panties. "Second of all, please, please, please, Blondie, don't shut me out," he begged, trying to make eye contact, but she was stubbornly avoiding his gaze.

Without speaking, she dropped the pillow onto the bed and headed for their dresser. She grabbed a pair of shorts and a large tee-shirt, slipping into both of them. Then she picked up the pillow again and stood in front of Lucas again, one eyebrow raised as she silently waited for him to move. He didn't. "Lucas, I don't want to fight with you, and there is nothing to talk about. So what if Haley doesn't want to be my friend anymore," she had to swallow past the lump that formed in her throat at those words. "It doesn't matter," she insisted, but her jaw was quivering as her eyes filled with tears.

Saying the words out loud made it even more real than it had been, and it had been pleanty real before. Peyton had just been operating under the theory that if she acted like things were normal, they would just magically be normal again. Of course, Lucas wouldn't let her do that, and while part of her was really sad now as she faced the truth, she loved him for not allowing her to do that. He saw the tears and opened his arms, letting Peyton fall into them as she began to cry.

Lucas led Peyton over to the bed, pulling her into his lap and holding her as her tears soaked his shirt. He rubbed her back comfortingly and just whispered soothing things into her hair for a long while, kissing her temple occassionally. Her tears were just beginning to slow down when he decided to speak. "I think you should talk to her, Babe. Maybe she's willing to hear you out now that the anger has worn off," he offered some advice.

At his words, Peyton pulled away, looking up at him with tearful, watery eyes, tear trails still covering her cheeks. She shook her head adamantly. "No, Lucas, you didn't see her face. She doesn't care anymore. I guess she has her perfect little family. She obviously doesn't need me anymore. I will not go beg her for her forgiveness. I've done that, and she shut the door in my face. I only have so much pride left, I'm not wasting it on someone who's already given up," she stood when she noticed that he was opening his mouth again. "If you even think about defending her, then I have nothing more to say to you right now," she said, and this time she made it out of the door, and the slamming of their front door made it clear that she left the house as well.

With a groan, Lucas threw himself back on the bed. What the hell did he just do? A little while ago, his wife had wanted to have sex with him, and he turned her down in favor of starting a fight. He really was an idiot. He couldn't just leave things like that, though. He knew things between Haley and Peyton had to be fixed, and if Peyton didn't want to try, he would, even if it would make his wife mad at him for a while. He picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. "We need to talk," he said, when someone picked up the phone.

A/N: Okay, here's the next chapter. Don't worry, things with Peyton and Haley will get better soon. They are both just being too stubborn for their own good. Any ideas on who Lucas called? Is anyone still interested in this story? If so, I'd love to hear what you have to say. I do take constructive criticism, and I'm not offended by it at all. So tell me what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill.


	30. Chapter 30

There was a knock on the door, and Lucas walked over to answer it, rubbing at the back of his neck. He opened the door to find Haley there with her arms crossed, and couldn't help the feeling of relief. Sure, she had told him she would come, but he hadn't been completely sure that she would actually show up. He opened the door wider and allowed her to walk past him, into the living room.

As he followed her, he noticed that she was looking around suspisciously. He knew exactly what she was looking for, and he rolled his eyes, surpressing a sigh. "She's not here. I told you that on the phone," he said, causing her to shuffle her feet and look at him sheepishly. "She should be, though. You guys are the ones that need to talk," he couldn't help but add.

Her posture immediately stiffened and she turned on the defense. "No, don't you start with me. I've heard enough from Brooke all week. I didn't come here to hear it from you as well. You told me we'd have a rational conversation about this. If that's not going to happen, I might as well leave, because you're just wasting my time. I have better things to do, like spend my time with my husband, whom I just returned to yesterday," she raised her eyebrows at him, wondering if she should just leave.

This time Lucas couldn't surpress the sigh. He held his hands up in surrender, then gestured for her to take a seat. He knew he had been judgemental, and a little harsh, but he couldn't help it. Not when it was Peyton who was hurting. After a moments hesitation, Haley perched on the edge couch, somewhat tensely, and he sat down across from her, on one of the arm chairs. "Why don't you start by telling me your side of the story," he suggested, trying to keep his tone more neutral.

Haley sighed. Silence encompassed the room for a minute as she tried to decide where to start. "Chris Keller nearly ruined my marriage. Peyton knows that, yet she tried to insist that I work with him anyway. She told me that I wouldn't have to work with him when I signed with her label, and she went back on that word. She ignored the fact that I hate him, and I never want to see him again, and she called him, without even bothering to ask me about it first," she began to explain.

Up to that point, Lucas understood. He nodded, as he waited for her to go on. He could imagine that she was hurt by that, but he couldn't understand how she had jumped from being hurt to just completely ending her friendship with Peyton. A friendship that had been through so much already. "The fact that she called him, tells me one of two things. Either she didn't know how I would feel about that, in which case she doesn't know me as well as I thought she did, or she did know, and she just didn't care. Either way, that's not how a best friend should act," she finished.

Lucas thought for a minute, really trying to see her point of view. He kind of did, but she wasn't even considering Peyton's side of things, so he tried to remind her of that. She also had to know that neither of the things she'd pointed out were true. "Did you know that she hasn't been out of bed all week, ever since your fight. She's been miserable all week, and when she got up today, she was in denial, trying to pretend it had never happened. I tried to talk to her today, about you, and we got in the first fight we've had since we got married, because of you," his voice broke as he realized that was true.

Clearing his throat, Lucas could tell that Haley wasn't completely convinced, though she was beginning to see his point. "You can't say that she doesn't care, Hales, and you can't say that you don't either. We both know that that is a complete and blatant lie. If you didn't care, you wouldn't be here, trying to convince me of your side, and you wouldn't be listening to me argue Peyton's case. You know she cares, too, because if she didn't it wouldn't have hurt you so bad when she made a mistake," he said.

There was another moment of silence as Haley mulled his words over in her head. She had to think everything through before making any decisions. She shook her head slightly. "Still, that doesn't excuse the fact that she should know me better than that. I just can't believe that she would call him, and try to get me to work with him, after the trouble he caused last time," she said stubbornly.

Of course, Lucas was stubborn as well, and wasn't ready to concede. "It was a mistake, Haley. She was probably thinking professionally, and didn't stop to think things all the way through. You know she was just looking for whatever could help you make the best music. I know that she was thinking of what was best for you, and you know that, too, even if it wasn't what you thought was the best for you. You know she had good intentions, in any case, and that should be what matters," he said.

He didn't even give her a chance to respond, before launching into another train of thought. "Besides, things between you and Nathan were rocky at best the first time you got involved with Chris. Anyone could have been the person to send it over the edge. You guys made it through it, though, and you're stronger than ever now. You're in a much better place now, and if you truly trust in your marriage, no one will be able to ruin that. Not even Chris Keller," he pointed out.

There was a brief moment where understanding, and maybe even forgiveness passed over Haley's face, but then it disappeared, and she opened her mouth to protest again. "Oh, no, I get it now," Lucas interrupted her before she could speak. "You're just looking for an excuse now. Why are you looking for an excuse to end your friendship?" he paused, but she had no answer for him.

When she didn't respond, he thought about it. "I think I get it. You're scared that things are getting too different, and life is pulling you guys away from each other. So you, a person who happens to like to be in control, would prefer to have things end on your terms, not lifes. You know Peyton will always make time for you. You have to know that," he said, sounding a little more compassionate, because he did understand, at least a little, even if he thought it was ridiculous.

Haley adamantly shook her head, but neither of them believed that his words weren't true. Still, she wanted to prove him wrong, just because she didn't want him to be right. He didn't really want to be right either, so he just watched as she stood up to leave, picking up her purse. "Where is she?" she asked. "I'm going to find her and make things right," she explained when he lifted an eyebrow in question.

With a shrug of his shoulders, Lucas sadly shook his head. "I told you, she just took off after our fight. She didn't tell me where she was going. I don't know where she went," he lied. He was pretty positive that he knew where Peyton had gone, but he was sure that Haley should know as well. Without another word, yet with a determined look on her face, Haley left the house, while Lucas watched, a satisfied smile on his face. If things worked out like he knew they would, he had just fixed his wife's friendship with her best friend. He only hoped Peyton wouldn't be too mad at the interferrence.

Of course, Haley did know where Peyton was. It was the same place Peyton always went when she needed some guidance, and Haley was sure that Peyton was there now. When she parked the car, she saw the blonde in the distance and was glad to know she still knew her best friend like she thought she did. Years of friendship really did mean something. She walked over to Peyton, who was sitting in between her parents graves. She could see the tears in Peyton's eyes, and the tear trails covering her cheeks, from multiple times of crying and stopping, and crying again.

The blonde didn't even bother to wipe away her tears as she stared up in amazement at her best friend. She had just asked her father for a sign that things would be okay, and then Haley showed up. She knew then that things would be okay. "I'm sorry, Peyt. I overreacted, and I'm just sorry. I'd love to work with you, even if it means working with Chris Keller, and I want nothing more than to be your best friend again," she said, tears filling her own eyes.

Surprised, but pleased nonetheless, Peyton didn't hesitate to launch herself at the brunette, pulling her into a tight hug. "Of course I forgive you, but there's nothing to forgive. I'm the one who's sorry. I made a mistake in calling Chris, I really wasn't thinking as your best friend, and that was wrong of me. I should have come to you, and I'm sorry that I didn't. I really missed being your best friend," she replied, the tears slipping from her eyes were happy tears as she hugged Haley.

Haley hugged Peyton back just as fiercely. She'd never admit it, but she had really wanted to just stay in bed all week as well. She wasn't sure how to not be Peyton's best friend, and she didn't want to figure it out. "I forgive you, too. I don't want us to not be friends. I really missed you," she murmured as they finally broke away. "Besides, Brooke just couldn't replace you, and she's been a bit bitchy all week," she teased, laughing at the look on Peyton's face.

Peyton pretended to be offended, but then she just couldn't hold her laughter in any longer. She felt so light and free, like the weight that had laid on her heart when Haley had called off their friendship was finally gone. It was a nice moment, until she started shivering. She was only wearing a tee-shirt and shorts after all. Haley, who was smart enough to be wearing pants and a jacket, stood to her feet. "Let's get you home, girly. I don't want to lose you to the cold," she said, holding out her hand.

With a smile, Peyton reached out and took Haley's hand, allowing Haley to help her to her feet. They linked arms as they started walking toward Haley's car, but they didn't make it more than a few yards before Peyton stopped, pulling Haley to a stop beside her. "Who convinced you to talk to me?" she asked. At Haley's silence, she knew the answer. "It was Lucas, wasn't you? He called you even though I asked him to stay out of it," she concluded. She was still a little angry about earlier, and that didn't help matters.

Biting her lip, a nervous habit she'd gotten from the blonde, Haley didn't know what to say. "He just interferred because he loves you, you know. He doesn't want you to be miserable, and he'd do anything he can to keep you from being miserable," she said, pulling Peyton towards the car again. Peyton reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged along, only because it was really cold, and she really didn't want to get sick.

When they got into the car, Peyton requested to go to Haley's house, instead of her own. Haley didn't say anything, just started driving. Peyton was silent the whole drive, stewing about the fact that Lucas had interferred when she had specifically asked him not to. When Haley stopped the car, Peyton looked up to see her house. "Oh, no, come on Hales. I don't want to go in there and start another fight with him. I just need some time, so I can sort out my thoughts, and cool down a bit," she said.

With the car still in park, Haley leaned across Peyton and opened her door. "No, sorry, Peyton. I'm not going to let you run from this, which is exactly what you're doing. Go in there and talk with your husband. Or just make up with him. I mean, make-up sex is pretty great," she paused, and Peyton just stared at her, not going along with her attempt to lighten the mood. "Peyton, you need to face it, whatever it is that's going to happen in that house. As your best friend, I won't let you hide behind me," she said, waiting for Peyton to get out of the car.

With a sigh, Peyton unbuckled her seatbelt, and got out of the car, biting her lip as she looked toward the house. She closed the car door, but Haley rolled down the window, so she leaned down, wondering what Haley was going to say now. "Don't be mad at him, Peyton. He told me earlier that intentions are what matters, and I think you should remember that. You know his only intention was to put the two of us back together. He was probably expecting you to be mad, but he wanted us to be friends, no matter the consequences. Just remember that," she said, driving off.

Lucas was sitting up in their bed, but he was dozing, in and out of sleep. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but it was late, and he was tired. He didn't hear the front door open downstairs, but he was jerked awake by the sound of the bedroom door opening. He looked at his wife, standing in the doorway, and he just couldn't tell what she was thinking. She kept her face completely emotionless as she walked across the room.

When she made it to the bed, she moved on top of him, giving him a quick glimpse of her smile before she was peppering kisses all over his face. she wrapped her arms around his neck as she continued to kiss him, her lips landing on his before she deepened the kiss. "How about we finish what I started earlier?" she murmured against his lips when she broke away for air. She tried to pull him into another kiss, but Lucas was once again stopping her.

Moving his hands up to cup her face, he moved her away a couple of inches. He really knew how much of an idiot he was, since this was the second time that night he was risking a fight with his wife when she was trying to make love with him, but he had to know. "Are you and Haley friends again?" he asked. She did nothing but nod before launching herself at him again, and this time he didn't stop her.

A/N: Okay, Paley friendship is back on. I know a lot of you were upset because Haley reacted so badly, but all will be explained. Next chapter, all the girls get together for a girls night. I don't know if I'll reveal things in the next chapter, or the chapter after, but something is happening soon, and the fic will probably end right after that. So, tell me what you think of this chapter. Oh, and I'm thinking of writing a companion piece to this, mainly about Chilarie, and her life in high school. Actually I've already kind of started it, but I want to know if you guys think I should post it. It won't be posted until after this is over of course, but just let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill.


	31. Chapter 31

Eyes slowly fluttering open, Peyton reached out for her husband, deciding that if she had to be up, he did too, but also because she really wanted a repeat of last night. She was thwarted when her hand hit nothing but air. She felt the sheets, which were cold, indicating that Lucas hadn't just gone to the bathroom, which was the first thought that came to mind. She sat up, in a panic, suddenly more awake than she had been moments ago, because the sun hadn't even risen yet. Then she smelled the aroma coming from the kitchen, and she sank back into the pillows with a relieved sigh.

After she gave herself another couple of minutes to really wake up, she got out of bed. She grabbed her robe off of the hook on the back of the closet door and tyed it around herself because she wasn't wearing anything else. After leaving the room, she stopped in the bathroom to pee, looking at herself in the bathroom mirror before leaving. She ran her fingers through her curls, trying fruitlessly to untangle them.

After giving up on that hopeless case, she headed downstairs, following her nose to the kitchen. She found her husband with his back toward her as he stood in front of the stove. She quietly slipped up behind him, noticing that he was only wearing boxers, and wrapped her arms around his waist. She leaned her cheek against his bare shoulder and trailed her fingers up and down his abs. "I was a little worried that you had ditched me. Why in the world are you cooking breakfast before the sun is up?" she asked making sure to breath on his ear, because she knew it always got to him.

Setting down the spatula, Lucas turned around in his wife's arms and attacked her mouth with his, kissing her passionately. By the time they broke away, he had walked her back against the counter, and she had hopped up on it, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her fingers were laced in his hair, and his hands were on her waist, beneath her robe, which was now untied. As she caught her breath, she rested her forehead against his shoulder. "You know, that doesn't get you out of answering my question," she said when she could breathe.

With a smirk, Lucas pulled away, turning back to the stove. He turned off the burners and grabbed a single plate out of the cupboard, filling it with food before heading into the dining room, leaving her still sitting on the kitchen counter. "I will answer your question if you come eat with me, Mrs. Scott," he called from the next room when he didn't hear any movement. She loved that name, and loved that she could be called that. She'd never stop feeling a flutter in her heart when she heard him call her that for the rest of her life. That was what made her get up and walk out of the kitchen.

As she walked into the dining room, Peyton retied her robe. Lucas had taken a seat at the head of the table, and she sat to his right, lifting her feet up and placing them in his lap. She cocked an eyebrow at him, and stole a piece of sasuage, taking a bite of it and chewing slowly as she waited for him to start the conversation. "Well, I thought we could talk, you know, about stuff. Like, the rest of our lives, for example," he said, feeding her a bite of egg before taking a bite of his own.

Peyton's eyes lit up as she chewed. "Well, I'm thinking we need to move in a bigger house. This house just isn't big enough for our growing family anymore. I want to keep it, though, since it was a present from Brooke," she paused, taking another bite of sasuage. "I also want more kids. I want to live in a big house, and fill it with children, and when our children move out, I want grandchildren. I never want to experience the empty nest syndrome. Neither you nor I really had a big family, but it's really all I want," she smiled, physically there, but mentally many years in the future.

They ate for a few moments in silence, Peyton still envisioning the past, as Lucas looked at his wife in adoration. He loved that she had their whole life planned out. "Our house will have three stories, I think, to have room for all the kids. The kitchen will be downstairs, with a sliding glass door leading out to the backyard. You'll have an office, and I'll have my own room too, seperate from our bedroom. Just so we can each retreat to our own space to read, or write, or draw or listen to music, or whatever. Each of our kids will have their own 'll have a family room on each floor, and a couple of guest rooms, so our family can visit. Oh, and we'll start our family night again. Every Friday night, all our kids have to be home. We'll eat dinner together, and talk, and then after dinner we'll watch a movie, or play games, something together, all of us," she trailed off, a content smile on her face.

With a smile on his face, Lucas watched her. It was really sexy that she had everything planned out like that. He picked up the half-empty plate and walked it to the kitchen before returning to the dining room, taking her hand and pulling her to her feet, kissing her deeply. "I love you, Peyton Elizabeth Scott, and we'll make that dream come true, I promise you, one day you'll have that house. Untill then, lets go practice making all those babies," he whispered in a husky voice before leading her upstairs.

A couple of hours later, at about 7 AM, Lucas woke up, for the second time, before his wife. As she had talked about their perfect house, he began to picture it as well, and he wanted it. He wanted to give it to her. As he laid there, with her head on his chest, he thought about her birthday, coming up in about ten months. He already knew what he was getting her, and he began to plan how to get it together by that time. He needed to make a few calls, so he slipped out of bed, deciding to make the calls before the rest of the house woke up.

Just as he was finishing up, the boys Chilarie started crying, and the boys ran down the stairs a couple minutes later. Lucas hurried upstairs so he could get his daughter before she woke up his wife. The little girl was sitting up, having pulled herself up using the bars of the crib. He hadn't wanted to wake Peyton up prematurely-again- but this was something he knew his wife wouldn't want to miss. "Peyton, Peyton, come look at this!" he yelled, excitement in his tone.

He was still standing in the doorway a few moments later when his wife came up behind him, frantically, because she thought something was wrong. She had heard Chilarie start crying, but she had been trying to go back to sleep, since her husband was up. When she heard his voice yelling for her through the baby monitor, she immediately started thinking the worst. Standing behind him, she couldn't see her daughter, but she knew if the little girl was in danger he wouldn't be standing there, so she began to get a little irritated. "What?" she asked, putting a hand on her hip.

In answer, Lucas just lifted a hand, pointing towards the crib, a disbelieving grin on his face. Peyton looked past him, and her eyes went wide as she processed the sight. She brought her hand to her mouth as she saw her daughter sitting there, reaching for her, making whining noises as she realized neither of her parents were coming any closer. Peyton's gaze darted to her husband before landing on their daughter again. "Luke, she's sitting up. Our little girl is sitting up on her own for the first time," she said in amazement, reaching out to squeeze his fingers.

Lucas relplied with just a nod, and the couple stood in the doorway as their daughter began to get impatient with her parents, who still weren't answering her calls. She let out another wail, which seemed to snap Peyton out of her stupor. She turned and ran from the room, calling over her shoulder. "I'm getting the camera. Don't you dare move her. This has to go in her baby book," she shouted as she practically sprinted down the hallway. Lucas laughed at his wife went, sending his daughter a look that said, 'Mommy's crazy, isn't she?'

A few seconds later, Peyton reappeared in the doorway, camera in hand, and she snapped a few pictures of her little girl. Chilarie blinked her blue-green eyes at the flash, but didn't start crying, like most babies would. She just wanted to be picked up. She let go of the bars of the crib and lifted her little arms up, her hands clutching and opening as she reached for her mommy or daddy. She let out another wail, and Lucas finally couldn't take it anymore. He stepped past Peyton and picked his baby girl up out of the crib.

Unable to resist, Peyton got a couple of pictures of father and daughter, then she pulled her husband downstairs, sitting him on the couch, next to where Aiden and Jason were sitting, petting the dog. She took a few pictures, of her family, letting Maggie be in the picture too. Lucas rolled his eyes at his wife, she was in one of her rare moods, where she wanted to take tons of pictures. "You know, it's not the whole family, if you're not in the picture. Set the timer and get over here," he demanded.

Doing as she was told, Peyton set the camera on the mantle place, so it had a good view of the couch, and walked over to her family. Jason was on one side of Lucas, with Maggie, and Aiden was sitting on the other side, so she planned on taking a seat between her husband and Aiden. Before she could, though, Lucas sat Chilarie down on the couch between him and Aiden, making sure she was stable and sitting up, and then grabbed his wife's hand, pulling her directly on his lap. She barely had time to smile at the camera before it took the picture.

As Peyton picked up their daughter, who was starting to slump over, Lucas moved her out of his lap and stood up, grabbing the camera and looking at the picture. With a grin, he nodded. "This is so going to be our Christmas card this year," he said, flashing the screen of the digital camera in front of his wife's face. It really depicted how happy the family was, and it was a nice picture, even if they were all in their pajamas. Peyton's eyes immediately noticed the happy smile on every single face, and she nodded.

A little while later, Peyton and Lucas were in the kitchen, cleaning up the leftovers from the twins breakfast, while the twins were in the living room, playing some nonviolent video game. Chilarie was in her father's arms, as he praised her for today's accomplishment. Peyton chuckled as she watched father and daughter. "She's not even six months yet, and you're already wrapped around her tiny finger," she said as she finished wiping down the counter. She leaned against it, arms crossed as she looked on with a smile.

Looking up at his wife, who had put on a pair of shorts and one of his tee-shirts, he just shook his head, unable to bring himself to say what he had been about to say a moment before. "You know what? I really hope that's true. Then she'll come to me about everything. She's going to be such a Daddy's girl, aren't you, Hope? Yes you are," he started talking in a baby voice and Peyton couldn't bring herself to tease him again, because it was just so cute. He set Chilarie in her high chair and approached his wife.

Just as he reached her, she started speaking. "You know, it's incredibly sexy when you act all fatherlike," she said with an assured smile. She tried to continue, but he covered her mouth with his, so she couldn't speak anymore. By the time the kiss broke, she forgot what she was talking about in the first place, which, actually, was his intention from the beginning. She kissed him again, but Chilarie's whining broke through their own little world. Also, the dog was jumping up at them. "You feed her, and I'll take care of our daughter," she said, pulling away and taking Chilarie out of the high chair.

As Peyton fed her daughter, sitting on one of the bar stools at the counter, Lucas walked outside to feed Maggie. When Lucas came back inside, he took the barstool next to Peyton, turning to face her with a serious look on his face. "Look, I'm only going to have more children with you if you agree to a few conditions first," he said, getting right to the point instead of beating around the bush. He was a bit hesitant to get Peyton pregnant again, only because he had almost lost both her and their daughter during her last pregnancy.

Quirking her eyebrows, Peyton just waited for him to continue. "You have to promise to be careful. No extra stress, and you'll take maternity leave from your label. Get Haley to run it for you, or something. And if the doctor says you need to be on bed rest, you will not leave that bed, for as long as the doctor says so. If I have to go through that again, I won't be able to handle it, and I couldn't handle losing you either, so we'll have to do everything possibly to protect you, do you hear me?" he asked.

Thinking it over, Peyton looked down at her baby girl. Yeah, things had been scary at the time, but everything worked out okay in the end, right? Still, she knew where he was coming from. She looked back up at him, just as Chilarie finished. She moved the girl to her shoulder and began gently patting her back, waiting for the burp. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's all worth it now, but I don't want to force my kids to grow up with only one parent," she paused. "Next time I won't be fighting with you, though, so no worries, right?" she had to add.

Lucas felt relieved that she was agreeing to his terms, so he didn't even respond to the teasing, except to lean over and kiss her, then kiss their daughters blonde curls. They were interrupted before anything more could be said. The front door opened and closed, and a few moments later, Brooke appeared in the kitchen. "I figured you two would be in here. Let me hold Hope," she said, holding her arms out for the little blonde without anymore greeting to the parents of the baby.

Peyton just handed the baby over, knowing that Brooke must have come for a reason. Peyton was right of course, so Brooke decided to just get to her point. "Well, I for one, am glad that you and Haley are friends again. In fact, I'm so glad that you guys are friends, that you are going to throw us a girls night, right here at your house. Tonight," she said, just blurting it out. "You've already invited me, Haley and Rachel, and this cute little girl here. Oh, and you can invite Keirah. I think I should get to know her, since I'm with her brother," she added.

There was a moment of silence, except for Brooke cooing to the baby. Peyton shared a look with her husband. "What do you mean, I'm throwing a girls night? Where do you expect my husband to go? What about my boys? How can you just volunteer me for something like this? Why not your house? Why not Haley's? Why not Rachel's? Actually, the most important question is, why mine?" she asked, rolling her eyes at Brooke's bluntness, even though she should be used to it by now.

Brooke shrugged. "If we have it at your house, then you won't be able to ditch halfway through, or just not show up in the first place. So your house it is. Now, don't go worrying about everything. I'm taking care of all of it. Lucas is going to take the boys to Nathan's house, after he picks them up from school, and they can have their own boys night, or whatever over there. Everything else I'll take care of. So you really have no reason to say no. I'll see you at five, P. Scott," she said, handing Chilarie back to Peyton, and then Hurricane Brooke was gone.

Sighing, Peyton looked down at her daughter. "That, kid, is your Aunt Brooke. She doesn't take no for an answer, and she's very pushy. I really hope you're not like her," she said, only half-joking. Then she looked up at her husband, completely serious. "Honestly, that was a lot worse than she usually is. I wonder if something's up with her. Hmm, I'll have to check into that. I should call Haley, she might be able to tell me something. Maybe we can compare notes," she tapered off, already inching toward the phone, until she noticed that look on Lucas's face. "What?" she demanded.

With a laugh, he just shook his head. "Nothing, Blondie," he answered. She wasn't letting him off that easy, though. She kept staring at him. "I mean, the way you girls gossip, and that right there, you were trying to convince yourself it isn't gossiping. Why don't you just call Brooke and ask her what's going on with her? Why do you have to ask Haley first?" he asked, somewhat amused. From the look on her face, though, she wasn't. "Okay, sorry, call Haley, I'm just going to shut up now," he said, holding up his hands in surrender.

Instead of answering Lucas, she looked at her daughter. "I'll tell you right now. All boys tell us that girls gossip all the time. They say it like it's only girls who gossip. I'm telling you now, Chilarie, guys gossip too. Don't listen to their bull crap when they try to play it off like they don't gossip. They gossip practically more than girls do, so just don't let them fool you," she informed her daughter, nodding to emphasize her point. Then she hopped off the barstool, still holding the tiny blonde, grabbed the phone off of the charger, and went upstairs to call Haley.

By the time Peyton finished with her phone call, she still wasn't sure what was wrong with Brooke, but she'd had a nice conversation with her best friend, which was really nice. Chilarie had fallen asleep, so she dropped her off in the nursery, making sure the baby monitor was on, and she had the counterpart before heading downstairs. She found her husband making lunch with the boys sitting on the barstools, talking to him, which surprised her. She hadn't really thought that she'd been on the phone that long.

Smiling at the sight of his wife, Lucas told the boys that they could go eat in the living room, and then handed them their plates, which contained a sandwich and some chips for each of them. "You were right. Guys do gossip, too. So, I'd like to offer you this peace offering," he said, holding a plate with a sandwich and chips out toward her. "I'll even throw in a soda, but that's only if you listen to my other offer," he waggled his eyebrows at her, a proposition on his mind.

Biting her lip, Peyton looked at the food offering. She was really hungry, seeing as it was about noon, and she hadn't eaten since that breakfast before sunrise. She grabbed the plate, and the glass he was holding out to her. "I'll listen to your offer," she paused. "Only if you say that first part again," she added. She sat at a barstool, taking a bite of her sandwich and cocking an eyebrow at him as she chewed. It wasn't often that he admitted she was right, and she wanted to hear it again.

With a smirk, he cocked an eyebrow right back at her. "Oh, babe, you're always right. Of course you are," he said, leaning across the counter to give her a kiss when she finished chewing. "You picked me, didn't you?" he added as he pulled back, because he knew she wouldn't let him get away with the kiss if he had said that first. "Anyway, my offer. I was thinking, since I'm being kicked out for the night, we can call my mom, and ask her to pick up the boys now, and then take them to school when they need to be taken. I'll pick them up from school, of course, and head to Nathan's, but if she picks them up now, we can have more time to practice that baby making," he said suggestively.

As Peyton considered this, she finished her lunch. The boys came into the kitchen, to give one of them their plates. "Hey, boys, how would you feel about spending time with Grandma Karen before school?" she asked, looking at the boys as she took their plates. They both responded with an enthusiastic yes, and Peyton nodded. "Okay, then, go get ready for school, and we'll call her to pick you up," she said. They were about to run off, but she called them back, kneeling down to their level. "Wait, Daddy's picking you up from school, and you're going to stay the night at Uncle Nate's house. So I want you to say bye to me now," she said, holding her arms open for them.

After she sent them upstairs, Lucas headed for the phone. He was about to call Karen, but he was quickly stopped by Peyton. "No, I'll do it. I need to ask her something. Will you take care of these plates?" she asked, handing them to him, then grabbing the phone and leaving the room. Talking to Haley hadn't only answered no questions about Brooke, it had brought up even more questions, about Haley herself. So Peyton needed to ask Karen to pick something up for her. She was suddenly glad that Brooke had declared tonight a girls night.

When she finished the call, she and Lucas sat together on the couch, waiting for the boys to come down with their backpacks ready. The boys were old enough now that they could be trusted to get their things together. Peyton always checked just in case, though. The boys were waiting impatiently by the time Karen actually got there, and Peyton stood up as Karen entered the living room, nearly as impatient as the boys. She saw the bag in Karen's hand, and immediately took it from her. "It's not for me," she said. "Oh, do you want to come over tonight? We're having a girl's night, thing, and I thought you should join us," she asked, to take everyone's attention of the bag in her hand.

It worked. Karen replied that she would think about it, and Peyton told her the time. Then Karen left with the boys. Peyton went to the bathroom while Lucas went straight to the bedroom to wait for her. She hid the bag in the bathroom, because she didn't want to draw any questions. Then she joined her husband in bed, where they stayed, until he had to get up to pick up the kids, and she had to get up to get ready for girls night.

A/N: So so sorry it's been so long. I don't have a good excuse, really, so I'm not going to bother with any. I hope there are people still interested in reading this story, after I've kept you waiting so long. Please review, and let me know what you think. Oh, and I didn't get any reviews for my most recent chapter of The Lion and the Lamb, so if you've read that, and you haven't read the new chapter, you should go do that, and you should review it, too. I'm kinda tired, so I'm gonna keep this A/N short. Review please.

Disclaimer: Don't own it.


	32. Chapter 32

Precisely at five o'clock, the doorbell rang, and even as she was walking to answer it, Peyton know it was Brooke. Brooke brought wine and movies, and she was talking non-stop as she entered the house, but Peyton barely paid attention. Partly because she knew that Brooke wasn't really asking her opinion, she was just telling her what was going to happen, and partly because the doorbell was already ringing again. Peyton opened the door to see Rachel, who was toting magazines and make-over supplies. A few minutes later Haley came through the door-without knocking-with pizza and snacks.

Following the other three into the kitchen, Peyton grabbed six plates from the cupboard, since she had invited Karen. She grabbed six wine glasses, too, and took them out to the living room. Haley was in the living room, setting up the snacks on the coffee table. She quickly counted the plates and glasses and a confused look swept across her face. "Peyt, you have six sets of plates and glasses. There are only going to be five of us. You, me, Brooke, Rachel and Keirah," she informed her best friend, looking at the blonde curiously.

After a moment of thought, Peyton realized Haley was right, on one account. "You're right. This isn't the right number of plates and glasses. I need another set. I'll be right back," she said, turning and heading back to the kitchen. She grabbed another plate and wine glass, then grabbed her phone on the way back to the living room. After setting the plate and glass down, Peyton headed out to the front porch, where she found her mother-in-law, who had her hand raised, ready to knock on the door. "You can go on inside. I need to make a quick call first," she said, pausing. "Karen. I'm glad you came," she added, as Karen started to walk into the house.

Karen stopped and turned to look at Peyton. The blonde smiled widely at her mother-in-law, hoping she'd realize that this was the start of a clean slate between them. They didn't need to worry about whatever was happening between Lucas and Karen, because they had a bond. Karen had been a mother to Peyton when Peyton didn't have a mother, and Peyton would never forget that. Karen smiled back. "I'm not actually here to stay. I just really wanted the true story about what I brought you earlier," she said, raising an eyebrow at the blonde.

Peyton's grin turned mischevious. "You're going to have to wait a few minutes, but that's what I plan on starting with. If Brooke thinks she can spring a girls night on me, I can choose the activities. We have to wait for the rest of the guests to arrive, though. If you go inside, and don't say anything about it, I'll be inside in a moment," she said before turning her back on her mother-in-law to make the phone call she needed to make.

As Karen went inside, Peyton dialed a familiar number. "Derek, as much as I love you, most of the time, put your wife on, please," she said when her brother answered with a sarcastic comment. When Isabelle got on the phone, Peyton sank onto the porch swing. "Hey sister-in-law, whom I love so much," Isabelle interrupted, asking what Peyton wanted. "What makes you think I want something?" Peyton asked, trying to laugh it off. "Okay, yeah, you're right. I do want something," she grew more serious. "You're going to come over tonight, because I am having a girls night," she then demanded, in a no-nonsense tone.

It took a few minutes of persuasian, and a little bit of bribery, but Peyton finally was able to close her phone and head back inside. Just as she was getting to her feet, she noticed Keirah coming up the walk, carrying some non-alcoholic beverages, sonogram pictures and a good attitude. Peyton pushed open the front door and allowed Keirah to enter first before entering the house. "Keirah's here, and my sister-in-law is on the way," she announced to the room as she took a seat next to Keirah, who had sat down on the couch, and passed her sonogram pictures along to Brooke.

With a smile, Peyton looked over at Haley, who had taken the chair closest to Peyton's spot on the couch. Karen was sitting on the other couch, on the other side of the room, and Rachel was on the chair in between the two couches. Brooke was darting glances between the sonogram picture, which could turn out to be her little neice or nephew, and her other option. Rachel kept her gaze firmly on the ground, not risking a glance in Brooke's direction at all. "So, Hales, when will you have some more of those to show off?" Peyton asked so only her best friend could hear, tossing a glance over to the happy mom-to-be, and her first sonogram picture.

As Peyton moved her gaze back to Haley, she noticed that Haley nearly snorted up the water she had been taking a drink of. Glancing around the room to make sure no one else noticed, Haley looked back at her blonde best friend. "What are you talking about? I just had probably won't be another Scott kid for a while," she said. To anyone else, it would appear that Haley was telling the complete truth. Peyton knew Haley better than that. Before Peyton could continue, Haley narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Unless you're trying to tell me something," she added, somewhat accusingly, before getting up and walking to the kitchen to refill her water.

Instead of getting annoyed, or responding to Haley's accusation, Peyton just laughed. The conversation continued, Brooke, Keirah and Rachel noticed nothing, and Peyton stood, moving over to the other couch. She sat on the end closest to Rachel and leaned over. "It hurts, watching the person you love with someone else, doesn't it," she said, really feeling for the redhead. Granted, Lucas had never actually been with Keirah, but she had thought that he was, and it still hurt just the same. Actually, she was sure Rachel was feeling was worse, because Brooke actually was with someone else.

Quickly averting her gaze away from Brooke, whom she had finally allowed herself to look at, Rachel looked over at Peyton, feigning apathy. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said with a shrug. The way she wouldn't meet Peyton's gaze, and the way her voice broke said otherwise, but Peyton didn't call her on it. Rachel was thankful for that. She loved Brooke more than anything in the world, but if she had to put that aside to let Brooke be happy, then she would. Even if it was hard to let go, she would have to, because it was what was best for Brooke. At least, she hoped it was best for Brooke.

A loud wail could be heard from upstairs-and from the baby monitor which, as always, was right next to Peyton-alerting everyone that Chilarie had awoken from her nap. With a smile, Peyton jumped up, already racing up the stairs to get her daughter. Just like this morning, the tiny blonde was sitting up in the crib, her tiny fist gripped around one of the bars as she waited for her mother to come get her. She wasn't crying. She usually just let out a single wail to alert someone whenever she woke up, unless she needed immediate care.

Amazed at her daughter's ability to sit up, Peyton could not wait to show it off. Due to her size-she was only about the size of a regular two month old and she was almost six months-the doctors had predicted that she'd be a bit behind, development-wise, but here she was, proving them wrong. Peyton picked up the tiny baby and pulled her close, settling her on her hip. She could remeber a couple weeks ago, when Chilarie started rolling over. She kept propping herself up on her hands and knees, but she hadn't quite started crawling yet. Peyton knew that was coming soon, though, especially since she was able to pull herself into a sitting position.

In fact, she planned on working on that tonight. After checking Chilarie to make sure she was in a dry diaper, she headed downstairs. She knew for a fact that Chilarie wasn't hungry, because she wasn't due for dinner for another couple of hours. As she passed through the hallway, she stopped at the linen closet, holding Chilarie firmly to her hip as she grabbed a blanket as she kept going downstairs. When she made it downstairs, they were all waiting to see the tiny blonde. Isabelle still hadn't arrived yet, though, so Peyton spread out of the blanket, setting Chilarie on her back at one side, and then sitting down on the other side.

Three of the women in the room stood up to pick up the baby, but Peyton held up her hand to stop them. "Sit, wait for it," she commanded, as Chilarie let out a low whine for her mother. Haley looked at Peyton like she was crazy, but just as she was about to stand up to pick up her niece, Chilrie rolled over, twisting so she could see her mother. Slowly, Haley backed away and sat back on the couch, watching as Chilarie reached her arms out to her mom. Then she put them down, and tried to push herself up onto her hands and knees.

Chilarie balanced on her hands and knees for a minute, then she tried to move forward, but ended up collapsing. Of course, as a baby she didn't know anything about failure. She just knew she wanted to reach her mom, so she pushed herself up to try again. After a few failed attempts at crawling, she pushed all the way back, so she was sitting up, and she reached her tiny arm out, letting out a long whine. "Come on, little bug, come to Momma," Peyton encouraged, clapping her hands. At the sound of her Peyton's voice, Chilarie gave another attepmt, and she managed to crawl.

Everyone began to clap and encourage her, and she got a big grin on her face as she continued toward her mother. When Chilarie reached her, Peyton scooped the little girl up into her arms, standing as she was mobbed by everyone else. That was about the time Isabelle arrived, and Peyton handed the baby off to someone else, so she could head upstairs really quick. She grabbed the bag Karen had given her earlier, and headed back downstairs. Haley, who had Chilarie in her arms, was sitting on one couch, with Isabelle on one side, and Karen on the other.

Brooke and Rachel were sitting in chairs on opposite sides of the couch. Keirah was sitting on the other couch, with her feet up on the coffee table, nursing a glass of sparkling cider. At least, Peyton hoped that was what she was drinking. She didn't bother asking right then. "Okay, everyone, I have a bit of an announcement. I figured since I've been forced to throw this, I could throw in a few surprises of my own. So I had Karen go to the store for me earlier, and buy a few of these," she said, pulling one of the items out of the bag in her hand.

Her eyes were set on Haley, but it was Brooke who showed the emotion. "I thought I'd hidded it well," she blurted, then she seemed to realize that Peyton had gotten the test for Haley. All eyes were now on her. "Well, I, um, mean," she paused, a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face. Then she sighed in resignation. "Oh, all right, I think I might have a bun in the oven. I've been kind of scared to actually take a test though," she admitted, looking around the room, at anything but Rachel.

Surprised, Peyton looked from Brooke to Haley, and back again. "Well, then you can take one of these too," she said, tossing one to Brooke and pulling out another. "I had Karen buy every type they had, because I know Hales likes to be sure. Speaking of which, Haley, you can't just silent treatment your way out of this. I bet you've already noticed the signs too, and you're probably also too scared to take the test on you own. I'm here for you, though, and I'll be here for you. Nathan will be there for you too, you know, just not tonight," she paused, but Haley was still looking down, focusing intently on Chilarie. "Unless you want to call Nathan," she added hesitantly.

This immediately caused Haley's head to pop up, and she shook her head adamantly. "No, no, I don't want to call him, not unless I know for sure," she paused. "You're wrong," she said, and Peyton was about to open her mouth to disagree, but Haley knew Peyton had misintrepreted the comment, so she continued. "I've already taken an at-home test," she paused, and everyone waited in suspense to hear the result. "It was positive, but it was only one test. I mean, it could be wrong," she shrugged it off, like it was an impossibility. "I mean, I was just pregnant with James. That could be affecting it," she added, like she was searching for any excuse.

Shaking her head slightly, Peyton took a few steps forward, crouching down in front of the couch so she could be eye level with Haley. "You could take some more. There are about ten tests in this bag. You can take five, and Brooke could take five, and you can both be sure, together. Or maybe Brooke will let you split them six and four, and you can be even more sure. If they all come out positive, and your still scared, you can always go to the doctor, you know, to be even more sure," she said, trying to coerce her best friend into taking the tests. "You know, it's not a bad thing if you have another baby this close to James. It's not to hard having two young children in the house at the same time, I know," she said.

Knowing that Peyton's words were meant to be encouraging, Haley nodded, though she was still a little bit hesitant as she got up, passing the baby to Karen as Peyton took her hand to lead her to the bathroom. Brooke stood up to follow them, but paused at the doorway, looking back at Rachel. Her eyes asked a question that her brain wouldn't let her mouth ask. Rachel understoon and silently got up to follow the other three upstairs, where they all filed into the master bathroom.

Allowing Haley to have seven of the tests, Brooke took three, and they all looked away while she peed on them. As they were waiting for the results to Brooke's tests, Haley peed on seven sticks, glad that she had drank so much water earlier. Then they lined hers up on the opposite side of the counter as Brooke's, and decided to wait for the last one to be ready, so they could look at all of them together.

To pass the time, Brooke paced back and forth. Haley sat on the toilet with her head in her hands, while Peyton squatted next to her, bringing up the good points that this pregnancy could bring. Rachel just stood in the corner by the door, not really sure why Brooke had wanted her there. The timer going off startled them all, and Haley and Brooke glance at each other as they walk side by side to the counter. Peyton straightens, hanging back, waiting for Haley's reacting. Their reactions come simultaniously, but each of them react completely differently.

As Brooke gets a big grin on her face, running over to Rachel and pulling her in a tight hug, Haley lets out a groan and slides to her feet against the nearest wall. Peyton took a closer look. All ten pregnancy tests read the same thing. Positive. "You're both pregnant," she exclaimed, wondering how that could cause two very different reactions. She decided to let Brooke celebrate with Rachel if she wanted, and turned to her best friend. "Hales, this is a good thing. You've always wanted more than one child. Why are you so upset?" she asked.

Shaking her head, she looked up at her friend. "I can't do it, Peyton. I can barely be a mother to James, how am I going to be a mother for another baby?" she asked, tears sliding down her cheeks. She had been cracking under the stress of everything lately, ever since Chris Keller had reappeared, it had seemed like everything was falling apart. Every time she held James anymore he started crying, and she was snapping at Nathan all the time. Motherhood was taking it's toll, and she was only a mother to one, and she'd only been a mother for a month. How was she going to handle another baby.

Finally realizing the seriousness of it, due to the despair in Haley's eyes, Peyton pulled her best friend into a hug. Peyton knew Haley had been acting weird lately. Nathan had told Lucas, who had told her that. She just didn't know that it was this bad. She had been out of it herself for that whole week, but she hadn't once thought of permenantly getting rid of her children. Taking a deep breath, she tried to find a proper response. "Hales, you're probably the best candidate for a mother I know. You're great with my kids, and I'm sure you can be great with yours. I think you might be suffering post-partem depression, though, and maybe you should see a therapist," she suggested quietly.

Instantly, Peyton could see the effect of her words on Haley's face. She stood up. "I don't need therapy, and damn you if you think that. No therapist can help me deal with my problems. All they do is judge people, and try to fix things that have never happened to them. No, there has to be another option. I'm not depressed, and I'm not fit to be a mother," she said, turning and walking from the bathroom.

Meanwhile, after Peyton had made her announcement, Brooke and Rachel were still hugging, but Rachel wasn't really into it. All she could think about was that Brooke's dreams were coming true, while hers were being destroyed. Brooke was pregnant, and Chase, being the guy he was, would probably ask her to marry him. Of course Brooke would say yes. Then they'd be married, and in love, with a baby and Rachel would have nothing and no one. She couldn't help but feel her last shreds of hope crumbling as Brooke began babbling about what she needed to do for the baby.

Slowly, she began shaking her head, then she did it more adamantly, holding up her hand for Brooke to stop talking. "Don't. Please. Just stop. Go talk about this with someone else. Someone who actually cares," she paused, willing the tears not to come. "I shouldn't have come here at all," she turned, but Brooke grabbed her arm, spinning her back so they were facing each other again. Brooke sent her one heartbreaking look, and Rachel felt bad for being so harsh. "I didn't mean coming tonight. I meant coming back to Tree Hill. I should have just stayed away," she corrected, knowing that she needed a clean break.

Rachel followed Haley out of the bathroom, and Peyton and Brooke were left alone in their wakes. It only took them a couple of seconds before they went to catch up. Rache was moving a lot faster than Haley, and Brooke didn't reach her until they were already outside, at the door to Rachel's car. Peyton, however, overtook Haley on the porch. "What the hell is the matter with you? I was just making a suggestion. Don't overreact again. I'm here for you, Hales, and I'm not going anywhere, so you better get used to it," Peyton crossed her arms across her chest as she stared her best friend down.

Brooke, however, took a different approach. "I don't regret it, Rachel. I'm glad you came back. I forgot what it used to be like, when we were just friends. Granted, it's been a long time since then, but I like it. To be honest, I don't know where my heart is at right now. I tried so long to forget you, and I found this great guy, who really loves me, and I'm sure he wants to give me his whole heart. I don't know if I can give him mine, though, and he doesn't deserve that. Although, you don't deserve to be tied down to a baby who belongs to another guy. I just don't know what to do," she started crying, tears pouring down her cheeks.

A/N: Okay, I know I'm mean to end it there, but, I was hoping it would get me lots of reviews. How will Haley and Rachel react? I know, but do you guys? Tell me what you think should happen, or what you want to happen. For Brooke, should she choose Rachel or Chase? Should Haley admit she needs help and see a therapist, or does she even need help at all? Next chapter might be the last, depending on where I go from here. I'd love it if someone PMed me(if you want a bit of a spoiler) so I could get their opinion on what I should do in the next chapter. I'll even let you see the chapter before I post it, if you give me some advice. Thanks for the reviews for last chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Tree Hill.


	33. Epilogue 10 Months Later

Peyton was in the bathroom, pacing. Just a few more moments. That thought kept running through her mind, though it did nothing to elevate her nerves. Unfortunately, she heard footsteps heading for the bathroom at that moment, and she grabbed the item from the counter, tossing it into her purse just as the door opened, and Lucas poked his head into the room. "Hey you, we need to head out, because Brooke will kill us if we're not at the church soon. Are you almost ready?" he asked her, before his eyes looked her up and down. "You look gorgeous, Blondie," he added, stepping all the way into the bathroom.

Immediately recognizing his grin, and knowing where it would lead, she shook her head. "I don't think so, Lucas Scott. You get out of here right now," she pointed to the door. "We have to go to the church, as you so kindly reminded me, or Brooke will have both our heads. We don't have time to be doing any of that. I don't need your help, so you can just go wait for me," she said firmly, but he was walking closer, and, despite her protests, she didn't push him away as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her lips to his for a deep kiss.

For a moment, Peyton got lost in the kiss, then she pulled back, smacking him. "Now is so not the time. Maybe tonight, after the reception, or tomorrow, since it'll be my birthday, and Haley and Nathan are going to take the kids. Not now, though," she said, pushing him out of the bathroom, making sure the item was hidden in her purse as she followed him. The kids were ready, and Peyton picked up Chilarie, even though her daughter had been walking for months, taking Aiden's hand as Lucas picked up Jason and they all walked to the car.

As they drove, Peyton rested her head against the head rest, letting her eyes drift shut for a moment. She didn't really get much sleep, because she had been working at the office. Ever since the arrival of the new baby-actually, scratch that; the new babies-Peyton had been running herself ragged, helping Brooke with the wedding, and spending all the time she could at Haley's house, making sure she was okay with her kids. She hadn't been paying enough attention to her label lately, and she had been trying to catch up last night, since they had been in Tric anyway, for the bachelorette party. Thoughts of the new babies, led to thoughts of Haley specifically.

FLASHBACK

There was a moment of silence, then Haley burst into tears. "Peyton, I think your right. I think it's post-partem depression. What if Nathan leaves me for it, though? I mean, I can't even take care of our kid, and now were going to have another one? What if he takes the kids away?" she cried. Peyton dropped her defensive stance, glancing over to Rachel and Brooke, who appeared to be having a very intense moment themselves, and closed the front door to the house, pulling Haley over to the porch swing, allowing her best friend to cry on her shoulder as she mentioned the therapist again.

Very softly, Peyton repeated the therapy suggestion, because she didn't want Haley to freak out on her like last time. Surprisingly, Haley found herself agreeing with Peyton. "I think you're right, Peyton. I want to get better, and be better for my family. They deserve better than I've been giving them. Especially this one," Haley pulled back to place her hand on her still flat stomach. She kept looking down for a moment. "Will you go with me?" she asked, in a very low voice, almost as if she was afraid of the answer, before she moved her eyes up to meet Peyton's.

Without any hesitation, Peyton nodded. "Haley, we've been friends forever. We've been through everything together. Death, lying, cheating, sneaking out, pregnancies, Chris Keller, family issues. Just about everything we could have gone through, we have. Therapy will be just another thing to add to the list," she said, in a light tone, only partially joking. When she saw the smile that Haley forced, she grew more serious. "Hales, I'll always be here for you. You're my best friend, and that will get us through anything, I promise," she said, holding her pinky out toward Haley.

After a moment of pause, Haley smiled, albeit, it wasn't a very big smile, but it was there. She reached up and hooked Peyton's pinky with her own, shaking on it. "I'm holding you to that promise, Peyt. If our friendship doesn't last through the phase while I've lost my mind, I won't be your best friend anymore," she said, chuckling slightly at the irony of her words. Peyton pulled her into another hug, and Haley hugged back. "Seriously, thank you, Peyton. Having you here for me now really does make me feel a lot better, and I think I'll call my doctors office and ask for a reccomendation for a good shrink tomorrow morning," she spoke softly, because her mouth was right next to Peytons ear.

When the hug was finally broken, Peyton stared at Haley. Haley looked back, sending the blonde an innocent look, like she had no idea why Peyton was still staring at her. "After you talk to Nathan, right?" Peyton asked, giving up on Haley speaking up on her own. Haley looked down at the ground, averting her eyes. "Hey," she said, reaching out to take Haley's chin and move her face. "Haley, you need to talk to your husband about how you're feeling. It'll never work out if you don't, so, please, just promise me you'll talk to him tomorrow," she waited for Haley's reluctant nod before smiling. "Good," she added with a firm nod of her head.

END FLASHBACK

The girls had continued their girls night, and Haley had talked to Nathan the next day. He had supported her completely, reminding her that she could tell him anything, but if she needed to see a professional, he would be there for her every step of the way. She had called her doctor, and gotten an appointment, and had continued to see the therapist throughout the whole pregnancy. A few days after the birth, Haley had seen her therapist for the last time, and had been pronounced completely stable. She really had gotten better, and hadn't had one breakdown since the day she had given birth, nearly two months ago.

Haley had even planned and set up a birthday party for James the month before, when he had turned one. The highlight of the party had been when he had stood up and walked over to his mother, across the lawn of their backyard, because he had been calling her from the blanket he was sitting on, and she hadn't heard him. James had been able to stand up for a couple of months, but those had been his first steps, and Haley had been extremely proud that he had been walking towards her. Later after the party, Peyton had whispered to her that Haley was clearly James's favorite parent. Blushing and protesting, Haley hadn't been able to stop her smile.

As Peyton followed Lucas down the stairs, she checked him out. He looked really good in his tux. She hadn't put her heels on yet, so when he stepped off the last step, she stepped onto it, wrapping her arms around her neck and whispering in his ear. "If you keep looking like that, you will get lucky tonight," she said. She was still worried about the item in her purse, but she couldn't help but flirt with her husband. He turned around in her arms, and snaked his arms around her waist. She was eye level with him as she stood on the stair, and his blue eyes smouldered as they met hers.

Before it could go any further, there was a tiny voice from behind them. "Ma!" their daughter called as she toddled into the entrance hall. Pushing right past him, Peyton opened her arms and scooped the tiny girl into her arms. Chilarie was 15 months now, but she was still as tiny as a one-year-old. Peyton was very protective of her daughter, watching over everything she did. She had definately become a lot more protective since Chilarie had started walking, when she was about nine months old. To put it mildly, Peyton had been stressed lately.

It'd be dishonest to say she didn't love her life, though, no matter how much stress it brought her. At the end of the day she could come home, spend some time with her kids, and then sleep in the same bed with Lucas, and that was all she could ever ask for. Brooke and Haley were happy too, and that was also all she could ask for. Things weren't perfect, and there were bad days, but she was happy with Lucas, Haley was happy with Nathan, and Brooke was about to get married, and finally be happy, too. It was finally time for their group to get a happily ever after.

As the elder Scott family loaded in the car, Peyton's cell phone began to ring. It was the ringtone that indicated Haley was calling, and Peyton just knew that it was Brooke, and she'd be yelling at her to get to the church already. Rolling her eyes, Peyton flipped open her cell phone, listening as Brooke ranted throughout the whole ten minute drive. She doesn't interrupt once, though Lucas notices many eye rolls, because she knows Brooke's nervous about the wedding, and she's slipping back into her Cheer Nazi persona. When she finally does interrupt, they're at the church, and Brooke continues stressing while they get her ready for the ceremony.

After the ceremony, they all head over to Haley's back yard, where the reception will be held. The married couple is taking some time for Brooke to change into a different dress, and they'll probably take some time to do a little something more while Brooke is changing. Lucas and Peyton took Brooke's daughter, Isabella, because Nathan and Haley's car was full. The two couples, and children, are sitting on the back porch. Peyton is holding Isabella with one arm, cooing in a soft voice to the two-month-old, as Chilarie stood in the chair next to her and looked on. Peyton was using her free arm to make sure he baby girl didn't fall, as she played with her goddaughter.

There was a commotion as the married couple arrived, but Peyton was distracted when Keirah came over carrying her other goddaughter, Nicci, who was almost four months, now. When Peyton was able to look over, she saw Brooke talking with Chase and she couldn't hide her smile, as Brooke finally looked over and noticed them, a big smile on her face. She pulled her own chair over as she walked up to Peyton. "There's my favorite girl," she said with a grin, before she took her daughter. "Come to Mommy, Isabella Joy Adams," she cooed to her daughter as she sat in the chair she had brought over.

Teasing, Peyton held her hand over her heart. "And here I was, thinking I was your favorite," she laughed, reaching out to take Lucas's hand as she helped her daughter step into her lap with the other. Brooke shot her a teasing look, sticking her tongue out, but she had to quickly pull it back in her mouth, as Isabella's hand swung out and nearly swatted it. "See, even my goddaughter agrees with me. You should be nicer to me, B. Davis," she said once she was able to cut off her laughter. "Or, should I say B. Davis-Gatina," she cocked an eyebrow at Brooke.

Just as she finished her sentence, Brooke's new wife walked over. Rachel smirked as she took the chair next to Brooke, the one that Chilarie had just vacated. She reached over and caressed Bella's cheek before taking the hand of her wife. Brooke leaned over and kissed her, still in semi-shock that they were actually married, before looking over at Peyton. "Girlie, you're lucky to make the top ten. This one is number one," she gestured towards Rachel, with a smile. "Bella's my number two," she cooed to her daughter. "Your daughter, and my goddaughter fight for the next spot," she said, looking at Chilarie, then over at her goddaughter, Jessica Penelope Scott, who was being held by her father. Nathan had a happy smile on his face as he bounced his daughter on his knee. "Even your other goddaughter is before you, and, right now, so is her mother," she said, sliding her gaze over to Bethany Elizabeth Scott, who was being held by her mother. Haley beamed at Brooke before shooting a smug look over to Peyton.

FLASHBACK

After Brooke's little speech, Rachel longed to wipe away her tears. She wouldn't allow herself to, though, because that would mean she was okay with the situation they were in, and she wasn't. There was a moment of silence, and then Rachel just couldn't control herself anymore. That doesn't mean she'd given up, she just really couldn't handle seeing Brooke in tears. She placed a hand on each of Brooke's cheeks, using the pads of each thumb to lightly brush away Brooke's tears. She had to take a step closer to reach, and now they were inches apart.

When Brooke looked up, their eyes met, and they both got caught up in the intensity of each others gaze, and the longing for the past and the electric shock they felt where their skin was touching. They both leaned forward so simultaniously, that it was impossible to tell which moved first. Then their lips were touching, and neither wanted it to stop. It did stop, though, when Rachel pulled away. "Brooke, I can't be this girl. I won't be. You need to choose. I understand if you want to choose the father of your baby. Just don't string me along," she whispered in a pleading voice, as if she couldn't bear to speak those words any louder.

Reluctantly, Brooke pulled away from Rachel. "I understand. I don't want to force you into anything, and I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I need to do a lot of thinking, and I'm sorry that I can't give you an answer right now, Rachel," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest, not a motion of shutting herself off, but trying to keep her heart, which was now beating wildly, from flying out of her chest, or perhaps breaking again. With a nod, and a wry smile, Rachel turned away, to get in her car. "Wait," Brooke whispered, and she turned her head again.

Longing for just one more touch, despite the fact that she didn't know what more to say, Brooke reached out, wiping at the lipstick that now lined Rachel's lips. "You got some of my lipstick on you," she said in explanation, though she didn't drop her hand. She wasn't sure if this would be the last contact they had. She knew she had to choose one way or the other. Either have Rachel in her life, or not. She knew Chase would have to stay by her regardless, due to their child-she wouldn't even consider giving it up-but she also knew that Rachel would leave, to save them both the heartache, if she chose Chase.

Reaching up, Rachel took Brooke's hand, their eyes meeting once more. They just stared into each other's eyes for a while, trying to sort through the jumble of emotions that had just been tossed in the air. Their fingers laced together for possibly the last time and they both savored the moment. Rachel didn't know if this was it. She didn't know if the love she knew she shared with Brooke was good enough. Brooke just wanted to hold on, because she hadn't felt this time of electrcity between her and someone else in a long time. Not another word was said as Rachel finally pulled away, getting into her car and driving away.

END FLASHBACK

When Brooke had walked up the steps to the porch, Peyton and Haley had finished their conversation. The three of them shared a group hug, all trying to assure each other that things would work out. Then they had all gone inside and Peyton and Isabelle had been the only ones to drink, because of the other three pregnant women. Karen had left because she needed to get back to the Cafe, but not before she shared some gossip of her own-Karen had met a guy named Andy, and was planning to go out on a date with him the following night.

Removed from her thoughts, Peyton looked up and noticed Karen just coming back outside. Nathan and Lucas had both left the women so they could check the grill, but Nathan had taken his baby girls inside so he could put them down for their nap first. Jason and Aiden had left the porch and Chilarie and James were now toddling after them on the lawn, both falling, James more occassionally than Chilarie. Peyton watched at Aiden helped his little sister up when she fell. Jason had a ball and he was throwing it toward James's toy basketball hoop, which he had gotten from Lucas for his birthday. "Jay, bawl, peese," Peyton could hear her daughter's raised voice across the lawn.

Shaking her head, Peyton didn't run interferrence. She knew it would be fine for now. She was more worried about her daughter becoming a ball player. Not that it would be a bad thing, necessarily. It would just ruin Brooke's hopes of having a girly niece. Keirah had taken off to meet Jake, who had stopped by the studio before going to the reception. She had dropped Nicci in Peyton's lap, since it had been recently vacated. Andy was now helping Karen into one of the empty chairs. "Andy, I'm barely three months pregnant. I'm not even showing. I can sit down on my own," Karen complained, though she looked up at her husband with a smile.

The couple had eloped as soon as they'd found out that Karen was pregnant, which was about two weeks after she'd conceived. Instead of going to Vegas, though, they had taken his boat to France, and eloped there. They had been together seven months, by that point, and Karen looked at Andy the way Peyton, Haley and Brooke all looked at their significant others, so everyone was happy for her. Andy had been completely doting on her for the past two months, since they'd gotten back-they'd taken a two week honeymoon, traveling in Europe, and Peyton had run Tric on her own, and overseen matters at the Cafe for those two weeks-to the point where Karen got annoyed, but everyone else couldn't deny that she couldn't find anyone better then him.

Standing up to get something to drink , Brooke handed her daughter over to Rachel before smoothing out her dress. The couple shared a smile as Brooke went off to get some drinks-non-alcoholic for her because she was still was really happy with the way things turned out. Bouncing the little girl on her lap, she noticed the baby was smiling, Brooke's smile, and she grinned back, cooing at her. Ten months ago, she hadn't been sure of how things would turn out, but now, here she was, married to the woman she loved, bouncing another man's baby on her lap.

FLASHBACK

The day after the girls night, Brooke had a date with Chase for dinner. He said he had something planned, and now Brooke knew she had to tell him her news. To be honest, she hadn't thought about him until talking with Rachel, and most of the night she'd tried to forget about the whole situation. She knew she had to tell him at dinner, if she could find the right moment. She also knew that there probably wouldn't be a right moment, but she was going to try to put off the whole conversation, if she could. She didn't get enough sleep the night before.

One piece of advice that she'd received from Peyton the night before really stuck in her mind as she started getting ready for her date. 'Don't choose the person you can live with. Choose the person you can't live without,' she had said. That had been running through her mind all day, and she couldn't put her finger on why. Honestly, she wasn't sure what would happen to her if Chase left. She knew what had happened to her when Rachel left. She had been able to live, but had she really been living? Until she had met Chase, she knew the answer had been no. Then again, not long after she had met Chase, Rachel had come back.

With thoughts and doubts running through her mind, she finished getting ready, and paced the hallway as she waited for Chase's arrival. He took her to a very nice restaurant, outside of town. Brooke spent the evening dumping her champagne into the potted plant behind her chair whenever Chase wasn't looking. When they had both finished dessert, Chase looked over at Brooke. "Brooke, I love you, and I can't imagine wanting to be with anyone else. Ever since we met, you were sassy and you basically told me to go away, but I gave you my number, and you eventually called me," he paused, pulling something out of his pocket.

As Chase stood from his chair, then got down on one knee, opening the small velvet box in front of her, Brooke's eyes widened, and there was so much she wanted to say, but she couldn't say a word. "Ever since you called me back, I knew this was meant to be. Then we started hanging out, and we have such a great connection. I love you, Brooke Davis, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you honor me by becoming my wife?" he asked, looking up at Brooke expectantly. She began shaking her head, but then saw his reaction and stopped.

Her first instinct was to say no. Her first thought was of Rachel. How was she going to tell Rachel that she was off the market, for life. Then she remembered that there was a man in front of her, giving her his heart, for the rest of his life, and he didn't even know she was having his baby. She looked down at the ring in between the folds of black velvet. It was perfect, a slightly large diamond, on a white-gold wedding band,which was embedded with diamonds. It was the exact ring she had always pictured on her finger, and the man in front of her was amazing for remembering that.

With all of that in mind, the decision was easy. She reached down, wrapping each of her hands around his, and using them to close the velvet box. She smiled at him when she noticed his turned sad. "Listen, Chase, I have a confession. You're going to want to sit down for this," she said. Reluctantly, he returned to his chair, already knowing that he wans't goint to like whatever she was about to say. Taking a deep breath, she readied herself, knowing there'd never be a right time to break someone's heart. "I'm pregnant, Chase," she finally managed to spit out.

A huge smile lit up his face, and that only made it all the harder when it slipped away a few seconds later. Chase wasn't stupid. He knew that she was breaking up with him. He just really couldn't understand why. So he waited for her explanation. "When I found out about the baby, I was so happy, I really was. I do love you Chase, and you have to know that. If you don't believe anything else I ever say, believe that. I love you," she repeated. "It's just not enough," she said, as the tears welled in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said, wiping them away.

Just like that, Chase was comforting her, because he was just that guy. He loved Brooke, and he couldn't just sit there and let her cry, no matter what was going on at the point. He'd sort of always know that her heart belonged to Rachel. He'd just hoped that she wouldn't realize that. He wished that it didn't have to be that way, but all he wanted was to see Brooke happy. He was also really glad that Brooke was pregnant. At least he'd have a part of her, and a connection to her, forever. "I understand, Brooke. Your heart belongs to Rachel. Follow it, Brooke, and I promise I'll always be there for our baby," he whispered into her hair as she cried on his shoulder, for possibly the last time.

END FLASHBACK

The ring Brooke was wearing now wasn't exactly like the one Chase had gotten her, but she loved it all the same. It was also perfect, but not because of style, or cut, but because Rachel had picked it out, and also because Rachel was wearing a matching one, that Brooke had picked out. Brooke had showed up at Rachel's house the following day, with a ring and a proposal. Rachel had made Brooke sweat it out a bit before she showed Brooke the ring she had bought for her before she had even moved back to Tree Hill. And now here they were.

Haley had gone inside to check on the girls, and Rachel had takedn Bella over to Brooke, who was talking with one of their friends. Taking the seat next to Peyton, Chase smiled at her, and his neice, who was in her lap. "So, you did very good today," she complimented, her gaze moving from Nicci's face to meet his. He ducked his head, running a hand through his hair and shrugging. "Seriously, Chase, you can't fool me. I know you wanted it to be you up there, and you're handling the fact that it wasn't very well," she said, her eyes still on him.

When he did raise his gaze, it wasn't to meet Peyton's. He stared across the lawn, and when Peyton's gaze followed his line of sight, she saw Brooke. She looked back at him to gauge the expression on his face. He looked kind of sad, but also accepting. "I'd wait for her forever, if I thought she'd ever love me the way she loves Rachel," he spoke softly, only telling her this because they'd known each other so long, and she'd been his first love. "It's kind of like what happened with us," he finally met her gaze, and she cocked an eyebrow at him. "I loved you, and you'll always have a place in my heart. Yours belonged to someone else, though," he trailed off.

There was a moment of silence, and he started watching Brooke again. Peyton really didn't know what to say to that. She knew that he wasn't still in love with her. At least, she was pretty sure he wasn't. "Chill, Peyt, I don't love you like that anymore," he paused. "Maybe that wasn't the best analogy. Back in high school, I thought you were the one for me, but I had to let you go, because you wanted Jake. Now I know I just hadn't found the right one, because I had to let her go, because I'm not the right one for her," he paused again, contemplative. "I congratulated her, though. I just want her happy," he added.

Reaching over, Peyton put her hand over his, giving it a squeeze. "I know, Chase," she said softly, at a loss to find any other words. "You'll find someone else. I believe there is more than one person out there for everyone. You just have to find the best one, the one that'll work out," she told him. He smiled over at her, but it was clear he didn't share the same beliefs. Turning her head, she spotted Lucas at the grill, and knew that she didn't really believe that either. "I'll always be here for you, buddy. You're still one of my best friends," she said, her eyes still trained behind him.

Catching her eye, Lucas gave her a grin and a wink, and she couldn't control herself anymore. She had some news for him, regarding the item she had shoved in her purse earlier-she had definately not forgotten about it-but she'd wait till tomorrow. She didn't want to ruin Brooke's day. Still, she wanted to be sitting so far away from her husband anymore. She stood, dropping Nicci into Chase's lap. "Here you go, Uncle. Speaking of hearts, and people they belong to, it's been far too long since I've visited mine," she said, placing a kiss on his temple and giving him a quick hug, she straightened, walking over to Lucas.

By the time she reached her husband, his back was turned to her, and she jumped onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He managed to stay standing and she laughed as she put her feet back on the ground, standing next to him. "Hi there, husband. Just thought I'd come over here and say hi," she said with a grin. He stared at her for a moment before wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her to him and kissing her hard on the mouth. When he pulled away, she had to take a moment to regain her bearings. "Okay, your hello was better than mine," she said breathlessly.

Lucas had been standing next to Jake, Keirah, Haley and Nathan, and Peyton turned her attention to the others, focusing on Jake. "So, did you pick it up?" she asked him. He answered with a nod, and she smiled. "Good," she said, before looking at his wife, who was going over tour dates with Lucas. They were leaving the next week to tour for the new book. "You really should hear the new album. We just set up a release date of a month from now, right when he starts his tour, but I can get you an advanced copy. I know the artist," she said to Keirah conspiratorily, and they all laughed.

They had only just started working on Haley's album again, so it would be a while until it was finished, but Peyton knew it would happen soon enough. Haley loved working with music, and, even with the twins, she wouldn't let anything get in the way of that. Chris Keller was still on Peyton's label, but she had done her best to keep them away from each other, by making sure they didn't record the same day, ever, and warning Haley when she shouldn't come by. It had worked out so far, and Peyton was pleased with all of her artists.

The party lasted for a long time, long after the newly married couple took off for their honeymoon. Brooke had been willing to put it off for a day so she could be there on Peyton's birthday, but Peyton wouldn't hear it, especially since they had thrown a surprise party for her the weekend before. She wasn't planning on doing anything for her birthday, exept enjoying a quiet day locked up in the house with her husband, and she would not let Brooke and Rachel stay in Tree Hill for that. Peyton and Lucas were helping clean up while the last guest left. "Are you sure this is okay? I can take them home with me. It's no big deal," Peyton questioned her friend once more.

Laughing, Haley flicked some water at Peyton from the dish she was busy rinsing. "Just dry this and shut up, she handed it to Peyton after the blonde had made a big show of wiping the couple drops of water off of her face. As she began to wash the next plate, Haley sent a side glance to Peyton, and could tell that she was still worried. "Peyt, I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't serious. Nathan and I will be fine taking care of your kids tonight and tomorrow. I know you just want to relax and enjoy your birthday," she said, handing the plate off to Peyton when she finished rinsing it.

Drying the plate, Peyton nodded, finally smiling. "Okay, thanks so much, Hales," she said gratefully, placing the dish in the cupboard. Just then the guys came into the kitchen, and Nathan walked over to Peyton, holding out his hand for the dish towel she had draped over her shoulder to dry the dishes. He was offering to take over, and Peyton was assured, so she handed Nathan the dish towel, then walked over to her husband. "The kids are already asleep. Let's head home," she said, the look in her eyes making him follow her as they called goodbyes over their shoulders.

The next day, Lucas awoke Peyton with breakfast in bed, and she rewarded him with desert, in the form of herself. "Well, I have a little present for you. Just a little something I've been working on," he said as he got out of bed a little while later. He pulled on a pair of boxers and walked over to the dresser. Digging to the bottom of the bottom drawer, he pulled out a folder, walking back as she sat up in bed, stretching and reaching down to grab a shirt off the floor before pulling it over her head. He handed her the folder while he climbed back onto the bed. "Happy Birthday, Peyton," he said.

With a slightly suspiscious look shot at her husband, Peyton began flipping through the folder. There were a lot of words and pictures, but Peyton got the gist of it pretty quickly. She looked back up at Lucas with wide-eyed shock as she began to understand what the present was. "Lucas, you didn't," she said, looking more closely at the pictures. He was silent as she flipped through them. "Tell me you didn't buy me a house for my birthday," she demanded, looking back up at him again, but with a different emotion in her eyes.

Not quite sure if she was pleased or not, Lucas slowly shook his head. "No, no, of course I didn't buy you a house," he quickly said, and for a second she looked relieved. Until he continued speaking. "I bought nice-sized piece of land, near the river. Then I hired people to build a house on the land," he corrected, and she closed her eyes, and let out a low groan. He gently extracted the folder from her hands. "It's less than half a mile from the river, and less than a mile from the Rivercourt, and there's a pool and hot tub in the backyard. It's three stories and there are ten bedrooms in all. Three on the first floor, three on the second floor and four on the top floor. There's also an attic and a basement, which you can do whatever you want with them. There's a family room on each floor, and we each have our own office, and the kitchen in on the first floor. There's a wraparound porch with a prch swing in the front, and it's far enough away from any main road that we can let Maggie out and not have to worry about her getting hit by a car," he was rambling, but he just wanted her to like the house.

With a smile, Peyton opened her eyes, and realized he was still going on. To silence him, she pulled him close, planting a kiss on his lips. When they broke away, he looked into her eyes, to make sure she really liked it. "It's far too much, and I really can't believe you did this for me, but I guess that's why I love you so much," she said as she firmly met his gaze to make sure he knew she was telling the truth. "To be honest, you had me at hot tub. The rest of that was just unneccessary," she grinned mischeviously at him, giving him another breath-taking kiss before pulling away. "Let's go pick up the kids and you can show me our new house," she suggested as she pulled on some clothes.

A little while later, they were at the house, exploring. Lucas had decorated a few rooms, like his study, but most of it he had left up to Peyton. Chilarie had already toddled through the house and she had declared that she wanted one of the rooms on the top floor. It had a sliding glass door, which led to a balcony-which Peyton would be keeping locked for a long time-but otherwise she had no problem with her daughter having the room. The boys had already picked rooms too, both on the second floor. Peyton had explored the master bedroom, which had a bathroom connecting to it, with a very large tub, and had started planning what she was going to put where.

They had opened the back sliding glass door, and allowed the kids to roam around outside. Peyton immediately noticed the slab of cement and basketball hoop that would serve as a half-court. She also noticed there was already patio furniture on the back porch, so Peyton and Lucas each took a seat. They had brought the dog, and Peyton watched as Maggie explored all the new smells, and her kids interacted. As she was watching, Chilarie tripped and fell, letting out a small cry. She was about to jump to her feet and run to her daughter, but Aiden was already helping her to her feet, soothing her wimpers and brushing off her leg. "It's okay Hope, you're going to be allright," he said.

Chilarie proceeded to send her brother a toothy grin as he held her hand and help her walk over to where Jason was looking at the pool. Chilarie pulled her hand out of her brother's grasp in an attempt at independance, which she had already showed an eagerness for. She didn't like help already, but she had a soft spot for her father, letting her daddy help he whenever he offered. As she stepped too close to the pool's edge, Jason held her back. "Jay, stop! I do it!" her aggrivated shout floated across the lawn, but her attention was quickly taken by Maggie, who ran by, causing Chilarie to chase after her, laughing.

A little while later, Peyton was watching Lucas playing with their kids. She was only inside because she'd gotten a phone call she'd had to take. She slid open the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the porch, sliding the door closed behind herself. Lucas extracted himself from the kids, and walked over to her, sending her a questioning look, which she understood without words. "That was Mia Casey. She's this new artist I've been meeting with, and I think she'd be perfect for Chase, if she wasn't already married and the mother to a two year old," she explained, before they were attacked by the children, who claimed they were starving.

Due to all three children begging, Lucas stopped by the house to pick up two air matresses and a couple of sleeping bags and blankets and pillows when he left their home to get food for dinner. The boys insisted on sleeping in their own bedrooms, but Peyton insisted that they had to sleep in the same room if they were sleeping in a different room than her. Reluctantly, they agreed, and chose a room, sleeping on the twin-size air matresses with a sleeping bag and a blanket. It was unseasonably cold, and had started raining as they had been eating.

After Lucas set up their king-size air matress in the master bedroom, Peyton made it, with the bedding and sheets he'd brought. Chilarie had been protesting sleep because she was scared of the lighting and thunder that followed it, but Peyton had sat against the wall, holding Chilarie in her arms and rocking her gently back and forth as she repeatedly smoothed her hair and murmured reassuring words for a while before she gave up and let Lucas sit beside them and read a book to their daughter so she would go to sleep.

When they had climbed onto the matress, with Chilarie in between them, Peyton had angled herself so she could put her head on Lucas's shoulder-her favorite pillow-while not squishing their daughter. Not thirty seconds after a lightning bolt lit up the whole room, the twins ran into the room, chasing a particularily loud bolt of thunder. They climbed into bed, claiming to want to protect their parents, and it wasn't long until, safe and protected now, all three children were asleep between them. Peyton looked over the heads of her children, at her husband, who had his eyes closed.

As she looked over at him, she realized she had yet to tell him her news. It had been the perfect day, but there was one thing that would make it better. "You awake?" she asked, though she knew he was almost asleep. He opened one eye to look at her. "Thanks for today. It's days like these that make me believe in Happily Ever After. Days like these remind me that we found it," she said. Half-asleep, Lucas grunted in agreement, his eye sliding closed because he thought she was done. "Well, I do have one thing that will make it better," she added, causing both of his eyes to open in curiousity. She knew she was almost asleep, too, so she hurried with her confession. "I'm pregnant," she smiled. Lucas could only grin at her before his eyes slid closed, and Peyton let her eyes close too. They both fell asleep with content smiles on their faces.

A/N: Okay, this is it. This fic is ending. Don't be sad, though, because every ending is another beginning. I have a companion piece in the works, that will focus mainly on Chilarie, because she's actually my favorite character-of mine, anyway-but it will involve everyone. I also have three or four other ideas for fics, which will all be posted in good time, but I'm not going to start posting anything new until I finish writing The Lion and the Lamb. Focusing on this, though, I know everyone will not be happy with the outcome, but I really can't please everyone, so no flames, please. I understand if you want to give some constructive criticism, but I don't want to hear how much you hate my fic. Other than that, reviews are always appreciated. I really thank everyone who's reviewed this fic, and the first one. It means a lot. Special thanks to demeter18 and marybethothfan, who both helped me with this chapter. Thanks! I think that's it, hope you all enjoyed the fic.

Disclaimer: I still don't own it, no matter how many fics I finish, or how many disclaimers I write.


	34. Author's Note

I know, this isn't a chapter, and I don't usually do chapter long author's notes, but I just wanted to point out that I have three new stories started, if you want to read them. I have:

Life After Happily Ever After - The companion piece to Can't Stop Destiny, and Can't Lose Hope. It will mainly follow the life of Chilarie, but all characters will be involved in the story. Leyton, Naley, and some other couples.

Search For Comfort - Peyton convinced Jake to marry her back in season three. Her life is going good, until she loses his baby. Will she turn to Jake for comfort, or will Lucas be the one to get her through this hard time. Leyton, Naley, and other couples.

Luke and Peyt Plus 8 - After the botched proposal, Peyton goes back to Lucas in Tree Hill. But what if she was right the first time, when she said that they would resent each other if they didn't follow their dreams? Will it end in divorce, or will Lucas and Peyton make it through anything? Leyton, Naley and other couples.

So, anyway, read those, please, and let me know what you think by leaving a review. I got a very poor response for Life After Happily Ever After, and it's kind of got me wondering whether or not to continue it. So let me know what you think, please, and I will have an update for all of those fics Sunday. Thanks.

-LeytonLoVe123


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